


Dangerous Love

by Iplaydead



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Action, Angry Loki, Angst, Avenger Loki, Blood and Violence, Crossroads Deals & Demons, Demonic Possession, Demons, Domestic Fluff, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Fury is a dick, I'm Bad At Tagging, Jealousy, Jötunn Loki, Light Bondage, Loki Angst, Loki Does What He Wants, Loki Falls In Love, Loki Feels, Loki Has Issues, Loki Needs a Hug, Mind Reading, Oral Sex, POV Female Character, POV Loki, POV Multiple, POV Outsider, Possessive Loki, Rough Sex, Sex, Sexual Content, Smut, Sweet Loki, Telepathic Bond, Telepathy, Tony has a lot of nicknames for Loki, Tony throws a party, Tumblr: imagine-loki, Violence, soul bonds, spells
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2018-10-08 19:25:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 43
Words: 78,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10394370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iplaydead/pseuds/Iplaydead
Summary: "Falling in love with the God of Mischief was never a good idea, though, in Ragni’s defense, she never was one to do things the right way."“Nothing lasts forever. No matter how hard you try to hold on to it, in the end, it is always just one step away from slipping completely from your grasp. To be lost forever in time, one day forgotten, as if it was never there, to begin with.”How far will Loki go for love?





	1. Easier said than done

**Author's Note:**

> So this all started because of an Imagine I saw and I just couldn't stop writing it.  
> I hope you enjoy.  
> Comments are appreciated. ;) 
> 
> DISCLAIMER-I DID NOT WRITE THIS IMAGINE, ONLY THE STORY IT'S BASED ON.
> 
> "Imagine that, when Loki comes to the tower, you fall in love with him even though you know you shouldn’t. Knowing that you are absolutely terrible at hiding your crush, you avoid him to not get into trouble. Everyone at the tower keeps away from him, but none avoid him as much as you do, and he gets curious. That’s how he finds out your little secret and he will no longer let you ignore him just like that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep in mind that when I started this I had just started writing again, so bare with it the first few chapters.  
> One day I may go back and tidy it up.

Falling in love with the God of Mischief was never a good idea, though, in Ragni’s defense, she never was one to do things the right way. She often wondered if her brain was broken. Why in the hell else would she been swooning over an, erm...Alien?

Space Viking?

Norse God?

Whatever.

The point was he tried to take over New York and killed a bunch of people in the process. Yet, since day fucking one since he’d arrived at Stark tower, she could not help but find herself weak at the knees at the mere sight of him.

She had only spoken to Loki a few times before she realized she needed to stay as far away from him as possible. She did anything and everything she could to avoid him. She’d even gone as far as jumping out a window.

Bottom floor, of course, but that’s not the point. The point was if she saw him, she ran.

I mean, it wasn’t like anyone would question her motives, they all avoided him as well. She figured they’d just assume she was terrified of him.

Sure. If you mean terrified of being seduced.  
Or doing the seducing.  
_Nope. Stop that. Right now Ragni!_

She knew better. She fucking knew better. There was no way. Nope.

The dark side was tempting enough without Loki being involved. She knew there would be trouble. Serious repercussions. Like seriously, she was not one to follow the rules as it was, and if not for Barton, and his serious weirdness for helping troubled women she’d be in jail. Again. Or worse.

Damn, she really needed to concentrate on her training. Throw the knives at the target.  
_Focus._

Right focus. Don’t focus on the space alien down the hall; way, way down the hall...  
_Oh shit!_

Loki was walking her way with an obvious smirk, reading some papers Tony had given him before he had abruptly scurried off.

Why she had not closed the training room door upon entering she will never know.

_Gotta hide, gotta hide._

She knew this was pathetic. She normally was not like this, but she could not let herself fall victim to those luscious lips, in case Loki ever allowed her to kiss them.

Or suck on them.

Or nibble them.

Fuck she’d bite them and bring blood if he wanted her to.

Mmmmm.

_Dammit Focus. Run. NOW!_

Ragni quickly threw herself into the weapons closet, completely forgetting about the rack that sat for whatever fucking reason in the middle of the floor, crashing into it with a loud thud, knocking all its contents over, dragging her along with it. She was lucky she didn’t lose a body part. There were way too many sharp objects on that rack.

“Ouch.” she hissed through gritted teeth.

_Good job dumbass. He will never suspect a thing now._

Ragni peaked through the crack of the door and saw that Loki stopped and looked around confused, but otherwise shrugged his shoulders and kept on walking, not giving the noise another thought.

He was so beautiful...  
_FOCUS!_

She had never been more happy about Loki’s tendency to give zero fucks about anything, and everything.

Unless Tony forced him. Which was often, and it took her a minute to figure out why Loki would always agree to do these things when Tony was being a complete dick bag.

He enjoyed watching him squirm.

Loki never made it easy on Tony or anyone else for that matter. It was amusing, well what she had seen. It was hard to pay attention when you had to stay fifty feet away at all times hiding in the corner, or a bush.

Although it was hard to miss Tony’s incoherent screaming and cursing, usually about Loki or something Loki did, or even sometimes in his face, while Loki would just sit there and smirk, knowing damn well he’d pushed Tony’s buttons.

He was really good at pushing Tony’s buttons. In her entire year of being there, the last six months had definitely been her favorite. Even if she did avoid him, the tower was never boring. Tony was always complaining about something Loki had done.

_“God dammit Loki! Stay the hell out of my fucking office! You fucking hear me! This is your last warning!”_

Last warning her ass. He said that four last warnings ago. She was pretty sure Tony had developed a secret man crush on him by this point.

Apparently Loki had turned all the contents of his office room pink. She knew deep down Tony adored it. He was too much of a diva not too.

That’s exactly why he had been so mad. Because he'd _liked_ it.

No, Loki never made it easy. If you wanted a favor from him, you might as well go ahead and sign away your soul because you would sure as hell be paying for it later.

Although, when it came down to the nitty gritty dangerous stuff Loki always came through. Without question. No soul required.

She’s also pretty sure that’s another reason why she had fallen in love with him. She’d seen Loki fight; far, far away of course, but there had been times where he’d saved all the Avenger’s asses at one time or another.

Did he ever get a thank you? Not once.

There was no way anyone would think she was sane if they found out how she felt about him. Hell, she wasn’t even sure she was sane, but she didn’t care.

She never claimed to be. Might as well rock it, in secret, of course, because there was no way she’d ever admit her feelings.

Ragni sighed, stepped out of the closet and headed to her room, completely ignoring the fact she’d not picked up the weapons. Someone would clean it up.

_Or not._

She needed to get away from any chance of running into Loki right now. She was holding back everything she had to not go pin his ass down, and take him where ever the hell he may be.

Right, as if he’d want a mortal anyway.

The thought was still tempting to try, but she knew Fury well enough to know that courting Loki was a terrible idea. He would go into a raging bitch fit, she could see it now.

The smoke coming out of his ears, the vein on his forehead popping out from all the screaming. Yeah, she’ll pass on an angry Fury.

Plus, as inclined for trouble as she already was, the last thing she need was a trickster god whispering suggestions in her ear.

Mmmmmm.

_God dammit Focus!_

* * *

Ragni had managed to avoid Loki for a few more weeks. At least until Fury had decided she needed a partner for today’s shenanigans.

“Ragni.”

“Huh?” She had been daydreaming.

“Did you even hear what I said?”

“No. I wasn’t listening.” She was way too honest for her own good sometimes.

“Pay attention.” Fury didn’t bother hiding his annoyed tone.

“Sorry.” _Not sorry._

“I said, you and Loki will be teamed up today. Go ahead and begin getting suited up. We’ll be leaving within the hour.”

Her heart dropped and she could fill the panic taking over. “Lo..Loki?” she choked out. “Why do I need...”

“Because, Miss. Alfson. Today’s events may be more destructive than what you are familiar with. You will need him and believe me when I say, that trusting him is a huge contradiction, but Loki has proven he will have your back if you truly need it. At least for now.”

_GREAT._

Ragni did what Fury asked and went to change. She slipped on her leather one-piece suit and began arming herself up with weapons. Throwing knives and daggers mostly. She also carried a large staff with a long, sharp blade at one end, an ax blade on the other.

She twirled it around. She loved this thing, it was way too much fun to kill bad guys with.

* * *

Once they had arrived at the scene, Tony explained what everyone needed to do.

“Okay, Reindeer games, you and Shorty will go over to the left. Take out everyone you see, circle around and meet us back here.” Tony pointed to an area on the map.

“Basically, make a loopty loop.”

“I hadn’t gathered that, Anthony. Thank you for clarifying.” Loki said sarcastically.

If Tony was offended he didn’t show it.

“Shorty? Really Tony. I have a name you know.” Ragni scoffed. “I may be short, but dammit, that doesn’t mean I won’t whoop your ass.”

“You love my nickname for you,” he smiled.  
_Dammit, he was right._

“Fuck you, Tony.”

He just laughed. “Alright everyone, let’s get the show on the road. We have asses to kick.”

* * *

Ragni had no idea when things started going to shit. It was calm and quiet one minute, then the next thing she knew there were heavy explosions, screams, cries, and other horrible noises coming from both civilians and monsters.

What the hell are these things? They had a snakehead with the body of a lizard and stood to be at least 15 feet tall. What the hell went wrong when these shits were created? Was this a fucking joke.

“Ouch.” Ragni looked down and saw blood. “Great.” She was bleeding and she had no idea from where. She was covered in blood, most was not her own.

Just then another snake-lizard creature-whatever, lunged towards her, but she whirled her staff, landing an ax blow to the head. Then another came and another.

_Jesus._

She looked around and saw Loki close by, literally tearing the creatures apart with his bare hands. She wasn’t even going to comment on how hot that was. Like seriously, bare fucking hands. These things were huge!

She scolded herself for becoming distracted because that was all it took for one of the creatures to get an upper hand on her, throwing her across the battlefield with ease.

_OUCH!_

She lost her staff. Fuck. She also had this insane idea her daggers weren’t going to do much good but got them out anyway.  
She felt lightheaded. More blood.  
_Fuck, just what I need._

She stood only to stagger back on the ground.

 _Maybe if I just lay down._  
_No!_  
Snap out of it.

She kept trying to get up, but her legs were wobbly. The snake-lizard that had thrown her just moments ago, was hurling straight towards her.

She couldn’t catch a break.

Ragni braced herself for impact, knowing damn well she wasn’t going to get out of the way in time, but just as she could feel its breath on her face, Loki had grabbed it by the tail and dragged it back towards him.

The last thing she remembers is watching Loki rip the creature apart.


	2. You can run, but you can't hide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki hunts down Ragni for an explanation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't apologize for the smut.

When Ragni woke up Loki was holding her, screaming something she couldn’t quite make out yet. The sound was distorted; muffled.  
_No. No, no no no. He is not seriously touching me is he?_

“Ragni!” She heard him this time, everything was coming back into focus. “Are you with me?”

She nodded, but didn’t speak, she wasn’t sure if she could. He helped her stand, but to both of their disappointment she couldn’t walk on her own.

_Of course. He was going to have to hold me up. Fuck you too, Universe!_

“I’m sorry,” was all she got out. She wanted to say more, but she choked on some blood. That can’t be good.

“Shh, save your energy. This way.”

Loki practically had to carry her, but she soon realized he’d taken her back to the aircraft. Most of the battle had died down, and only Thor and Hulk were still out killing snake-lizard monsters. Tony and the rest of the team were already waiting.

“I leave you two alone one time and she comes back all battered and bloodied!” Tony yelled, he was seething.

“No. Not his fault.” Ragni barely whispered. _Don’t blame him. I’m the fucking idiot._

Technically it was his fault, but she was not going to blame Loki for looking so good on the battlefield. She’d been the one who let herself get distracted.

“You were supposed to protect her, Loki!” Tony was in his face now.

“So sorry, I was busy at the time killing monsters,” Loki began sarcastically. “And for your information, as soon as I became aware of how dire her situation was I acted.

Now, move out of my way so I can heal her, or by all means let her die.”

Tony didn’t say anything more and stepped out of his way.

_Did he just say heal me? Oh lord. Why me, why me...._

Loki laid Ragni down on her back once inside the aircraft, and sat Indian style next to her. She was glad she was too focused on the pain to focus on Loki and her undying love for him, otherwise she’d never be able to hide it. That’s why avoiding him had been important. She was terrible at hiding her emotions; TERRIBLE. Seriously, she could never hide how she was feeling.

She closed her eyes and tried not to think about Loki touching her, or how amazing his magic felt as it coursed through her body. Before long the pain was completely gone.

“Done.”

Ragni opened her eyes and Loki was staring at her.

No. Not the green eyes. She knew she was gawking by now.

“Thank you. For saving me.” _Holy shit, that sounded almost normal._ “Um...”

That was her queue to get up and run out of the aircraft like a freak. She applauded herself for at least thanking him. No one else ever did. Now back to avoiding him...

* * *

Apparently, Loki was now taking notice of how much Ragni went out of her way to avoid him. It seemed everywhere she went, she had to run from him. It had been like this all fucking week.

_Is he following me?_

No. Doubtful. This was all in her mind. She always saw him, she’s just thinking into it too much.

Right. Yeah. That’s it.

No, that’s not it. He was definitely around more, she’d never seen him this much. He was following her, or well looking for her. She’d done pretty good at hiding, but she knew before long he would catch her. What the hell was she going to say anyway.

_Oh, hi um, so the whole reason why I avoid you is because I can’t go a second without thinking about your sexy ass. I’m in love with you too by the way. So you wanna get coffee? Take over the world? I’m down for whatever._

Ragni shook her head. She knew she was fucking nuts.

As she was turning a corner low and behold, she ran smack dab into the God of Mischief himself.

_Oh no. Shit, shit._

Her reaction was to run. She tried, but he blocked her way by stepping in front of her. She tried again, he stepped in front of her again.  
Repeat; fail. Repeat; fail.

“What is the reasoning for you to divert me so frequently?” Loki looked confused. His tone had a hint of anger, but it was serious.

“I expected it from others, but you have no quarrel with me.”

Mmmm, sexy Loki anger.  
It was definitely hot.  
Technically, she WOULD have a quarrel with him if she were sane. I mean, he did destroy New York.

“I..I don’t know what you mean,” she tried to play off innocent, but he saw right through her.

“You know exactly what I mean,” his tone grew darker, and he stalked towards her until she was pinned between him and the wall.

It made her knees tremble and it wasn’t from fear. She could feel herself becoming aroused too.  
_No, no, not now._

_How can someone be so fucking arousing just by speaking! Is this even a thing? Don’t even get me started on that look. My god, he’s so mad, but it’s so fucking sexy. Is he touching me? Yes, he’s so close he’s touching me. What if I just...._

Ragni swallowed, stiff as a board, and tried to find something to say. Anything to say, but she was too concentrated on his chest that was brushing against hers, his heavy breathing, his smell...damn he smelled so fucking good.

Holy shit.  
As long as she didn’t look at his lips...

She totally looked at his lips. She hadn’t been aware she’d licked hers or the fact she was eye fucking him the entire time, until his eyes grew wide at the realization and his smile grew into one that resembled a Cheshire cat. Oh shit, the jig was up.

_No. Please don’t tell me I was THAT fucking obvious!_

“Well, well. You’re a little vixen aren’t you my darling?” Loki drew in even closer and brushed his lips against her ear. “I see you avoid me not out of fear.”

He knew he had her.

_God dammit._

She knew it too.

Ragni shuddered as Loki placed one of his hands on each of her hips. He’d leaned back up and was giving her a devilish smile. It almost made her eyes roll in the back of her head.

“Shall we talk in private, hm?”

Before Ragni had time to blink, she was in his room.  
She was in Loki’s room. Oh, it was over now.

“Lo-” she went to say, but he shh’ed her with his finger.

“Tell me, little deer. What are your true intentions with me?” he purred against her ear once more.

That asshole. He was going to make her say it out loud. She should have expected this or well she did, or would have if she had ever thought this scenario to have been possible. She still wasn’t sure if she was dreaming or not.

“Um...” she swallowed. “I, uh.”

“Tell me,” he demanded and took her hips again.

His lips brushed against her ear.

“Tell me what your thinking. How do you feel about me,” he gripped her hips harder.

He was smirking. He knew he had her. Asshole. Sexy fucking manipulative...  
Fuck it.

If she didn’t know any better, she would say Loki was totally sucking on her earlobe. That had to be her imagination right?

_Fuck._

Should she? I mean he seemed interested enough. Why would Loki go out of his way to hunt her down all week, then teleport her to his room once he’d realized she wanted him. God, what had she been doing during that moment? How bad had it been?

Fuck. Tony and Fury were going to have shit fits.  
Things may be thrown across the room.  
There was a high probability of physical violence...  
This was going to be a fucking nightmare.

_Fuck it._

“I have feelings for you,” she blurted, before she could have time to stop herself; the words just came spilling out after that.

“I didn’t want to piss people off because I suck at hiding it, if you didn’t notice.”

Oh. He had.

“So I figured it best if I stayed away from you. People will not like the fact that I’m into you. I didn’t figure you’d even be interested anyway," she paused briefly. “I should still stay away fr-”

“Shhhh.” Loki interrupted. “Now, now. Let’s not be so rash.” Loki was looking at her now. “We can still have some fun.”

Before she even got a chance to respond, he was all over her. His mouth, that is. His hands had worked their way to her face, holding her into his embrace as his tongue slide down her throat.

_Wow. Fucking...wow..._

Loki was a fantastic kisser, not as if she had any doubts to begin with, but this was beyond amazing. She was already wet and he’d only just kissed her. Hell, she was wet before that who was she kidding. His hands made their way to her jeans, yanking them off, then her shirt. He glided her towards the bed and....

 _Wait? When did he take his clothes off?_  
_Right. Magic._  
_Of course._

She hadn’t noticed Loki had used magic to rid her of her undergarments as well until he was on top of her, fondling her breasts with his mouth. When she finally did realize she wondered if he was going to give them back.

Probably not and she didn’t really care.

He slipped his hand down between her folds and let out a devilish laugh. She’s pretty sure she became wetter just from the sound of it.

_What is wrong with me?_

“Hm, little deer. How wet you are for me already.” She could swear his eyes were glowing. They probably were knowing Loki.

She responded with a moan as he pushed two fingers inside her, pumping in and out at an agonizing pace. She could already feel her orgasm coming on. She tried to buckle into his fingers to get more fiction, but he blocked her attempts with his weight, laughing as he kissed her mouth and neck.

“Not yet, stop trying to rush it,” he purred.

Stop trying to rush it? Okay, sure. That would be a lot easier if he didn’t make her want to cum just from talking.  
_God dammit, Loki._

“I ca..can’t,” she whined. “It feels..so..so..” she moaned, unable to finish.

“I know, little deer. That’s why I want you to enjoy it, and you will until I say otherwise.”

_Fine._

Plus, she doubted this would ever happen again, so there was really no need to rush it, but for the love of god this is torture. Pure fucking torture. Only Loki could torture you with sex, being on the brink of orgasm, only to stall for as long as fucking possible. How long could she take this? How long could he possibly take this?

* * *

 _Twenty minutes._ It’d been twenty fucking minutes and he wasn’t letting up. By this point she was screaming and sobbing incoherently. She wondered if begging would work.

“Please...”

He pushed in just a bit more making her almost cum again, to just stop.

“Again.”

 _Oh._ So he did want her to beg. All this time that’s what he’d been waiting for. Begging. Of course...

“Please, Loki. I...” He started his agonizing pace once more. “I want to cum.”

“I can’t hear you, little deer.”

“Please! Please Loki please!!!”

He released another devilish laugh before he took her mouth into his, and finally let her have her release.

_Oh. My. God._

Now she was definitely screaming. If Loki hadn’t been lying on top of her, her entire body would have been flailing around. She had never felt anything so good before. Oh god, this was only with his hands. Could she handle his mouth or even....yes. She decided she could.

Before she had even come down from her high, Loki had thrust himself inside her. The pain and pleasure was seriously overwhelming. She wasn’t even sure what planet she was on anymore. He felt HUGE.

Well...duh. He is a God. That makes sense.

He started out slow, but his thrusts were deep. He was looking at her with those beautiful green eyes. She could tell he was lost in lust too.

Lust. Right.

Tomorrow was going to be a bitch on her emotions. Oh well. She went to close her eyes, but he demanded she look at him. Could he get any fucking hotter? Probably.

After a while, his pace and breathing quickened. The pressure was building higher and higher, more intense than what she’d felt before. Oh good lord. She wondered if she’d survive this. If not, she sure as hell would die happy. She hoped her tombstone read;

 _‘Fucked to death by Loki Laufeyson._  
_P.S. It was totally worth it.‘_

When she realized he was doing that thing again, she gave him exactly what he wanted; she couldn’t bear the torture any longer.

“Please, Loki.”

“Louder.”

“Please Loki!”

“Scream my fucking name!” He growled.

“Please Loki! Loki! Loki!!!!”

Holy mother of god. She’s pretty sure she squirted about ten times in a matter of two minutes, or was it just one minute? Maybe even thirty seconds? Time didn’t seem to exist really. She felt him cum inside her and it made her eyes roll back inside her head. She wasn’t sure if it was possible to cum any harder, but he proved her theory wrong. She had been so so wrong.

At least now she could go back to avoiding him, all while being even more unhealthily obsessed. She’d had a taste of him now. She thought about Twilight; when Edward told Bella, she was his own personal brand of Heroin. That was now Loki.

He had ruined mortal men for her forever. There was no way anyone could ever make her feel the way he had. It would be impossible to replicate.

Once they had both stilled, Loki looked Ragni dead in the eyes and said, “If you think you are going to continue to avoid me after this, you are dead wrong.”

The Cheshire cat smile was back.

_Well, shit._

 


	3. Where do we go from here?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ragni contemplates where she stands with Loki now; Loki is thief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly a filler chapter. Things will pick back up very, very soon.  
> Also, the POV is weird-I had decided to change the way I wrote it in later chapters.  
> It shouldn't be confusing. You will see what I mean once I get the rest of the chapters posted.  
> *I have up to seven currently, they just need to be revised (possibly) and edited.

“Why did you thank me?”

Loki was sitting on the bed, with his back braced against the headboard, eyeing Ragni as she dressed. For a mortal, she had an incredibly nice body. He’d thoroughly enjoyed her underneath him. He decided he would do it again. He even considered making it a habit, since she seemed willing enough.

He contemplated allowing her to continue to clothe at that moment.

“What do you mean?” Ragni asked, pulling her long black hair out from under the back of her shirt, flipping it around her shoulders, so that it went over half of her chest.

Loki watched as the hairs delicately brushed against her, down past her waist.

“The other day. When you _saved_ my life? Sorry again about that.”  
She felt strangely more at ease with Loki now. Maybe because he’d just fucked her into the mattress. Twice. She’s also pretty sure she heard the bed crack. If there were a bet involved, her money would be in it.

“I rescue you, you thank me _and_ _apologize_. Twice?” _What a strange mortal._

“Basically. I was still trying to avoid the shit out of you, and the thought that you had to come to my rescue kind of hurt my girly pride a bit.”

Ragni flopped down on the bed and held herself up with her elbows. Resting her hands on her chin, she admired the beautiful man sitting in front of her. She was still mortified at the thought at any moment she’d wake up- afraid it was all a dream.

It was not a dream. This, this was really happening.

Loki found himself fixated with Ragni’s hair. Was it always that full and shiny? He thought for a moment that her hair was even nicer than his own and then quickly brushed it off.  
_Not likely._

“No one has ever thanked me,” he said blankly.

Ragni could almost see the pained expression on Loki’s face. Almost.

“They’re dicks.”

Loki chuckled.

“I was rather confused by your actions that day. I now see why you ran from me so abruptly," he purred.

“Yeah, not my finest moment. I know I had to look like a complete idiot. I panicked. I even forgot to go back for my staff. I knew if I stuck around you’d know instantly...like today,” she confessed.

Loki chuckled. “I would have perused you sooner had I known, little deer.”

“Really?” she couldn‘t hide her shocked expression.

“What we...I just...I never thought...I’m a mortal, you’re a God. I just assumed I was beneath you.”

“You are beneath me,” he stated immediately.  
“Although, that does not mean I did not enjoy your _company_. I have never had anyone avoid me out of fear of being seduced,” he teased. “You are rather strange for a mortal. You intrigue me.”

“Is that like, a compliment?”

Loki chuckled. “Yes. Take it as a compliment.”

It should have offended her Loki just admitted she was beneath him, but it didn’t. She had expected it, he WAS a God after all and it was Loki. He’d made it clear how he felt about mortals. At least he thought she was strange and intriguing. That was better than any other phrases he’d use to describe mortals in the past, so she must have been doing something right.  
_Oh, right...him..._

“So, I’m totally going to regret telling you this; I have filter issues. Anyway, it’s totally your fault I got hurt the other day.”

“My fault?” He looked at her questioningly, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, for being so damn sexy while you rip monsters to pieces with your bare hands. The blood you were covered in added a nice touch too, for the record. Do you think next time you could be less graceful about it? Maybe I won’t get so damn distracted and you won’t have to save my ass. Otherwise, get used to it.”

Loki just sat and stared at her for a brief moment, blinked and then hurled back into hysterical laughter. No, seriously, he was rolling around the bed at this point.

“Yeah. Yeah. Laugh it up at my expense.”  
Ragni was honestly thrilled to see Loki laughing so hard.

It was almost childlike, innocent. He even looked younger...wait, was that right?

Once composed Loki crawled towards Ragni, laying down flat on his stomach, replicating her to meet her dark gray eyes with his own.

“My apologies for causing your injuries, little deer. Next time I shall be more careful on how I kill in your presence,” he deadpanned.

“Sarcastic fucker,” she teased.

Loki chuckled.

“I retrieved your staff.”

_What! Seriously!_

“No shit?” She had never been so happy in her entire life; she loved her staff.

“I may have made a few minor...adjustments,” Loki grinned devilishly.

“Adjustments?” Ragni was skeptical.

“I was bored.”

* * *

A few minor _adjustments_ her ass. Now in her own room, Ragni sat on her bed and examined her new Loki improved staff, barely able to tell it was the same one.  
The only indication was her name was still carved in on the side;  
_Ragni Alfson._

It had once been black with most of the paint rubbed off, and slightly rusted. Now it shined a glimmer of black and green, and she was unable to figure out how the two colors were so noticeable being blended together. It appeared to be nothing but a stick, until she released a lever that would cause both the ax and sword (which were also both improved, sharper, and larger) to fly out as if it were a giant switch blade. It really didn’t make any sense seeing as the blades were quite larger than the staff, its self, yet once the lever was hit again, they smoothly slid back inside, as if they were never there to begin with.

How in the hell did he do this? Loki truly was skilled and incredibly smart. She always did feel as if he never got enough credit, or any for that matter, for all the amazing things he did. She made a mental note to change that.

* * *

Ragni really wasn’t sure what to expect from Loki now. She really wasn’t sure what they were, if anything at all. She hadn’t seen him since that night; three days, but that was because he and Thor had Asgardian business to attend to. They were suppose to arrive back today and she couldn’t help but feel a little excited. Okay, a lot excited.

Although, she’d still much rather not let anyone know they’d slept together, or the fact that if he asked her to kneel she would do it- no questions asked, she wouldn’t mind if Loki decided to publicly show affection. Though, the chance of that happening was slim to none. This was Loki after all. What one night and he was suppose to just fall in love with her? _Please._

Ragni thought she had it bad for Loki before, but now that they’d had sex, her feelings for him had become more heightened. She hoped she could continue to play it off as nothing but a crush. The last thing she wanted was to scare Loki off, even though she knew he was going to break her heart in the end; This would not last forever. She knew exactly what she was setting herself up for, but she didn’t care, or decided not to.

When he grew tired of her, if he hadn’t already, she’d deal with it then. She felt it was worth it just to have him for a short while, then not at all, even if he didn’t love her back.  
She knew he’d used her, she wasn’t stupid; She’d let him and she’d do it again.

Ragni jumped as Loki and Thor barged into the conference room, where she was sitting doing Tony’s damn paperwork he’d pawned off on her. Neither of them looked happy. She wondered if they even noticed her sitting there.

“Brother, why must you anger father so?” Thor exclaimed, as he stomped around like a five year old. “Why can you not just be silent!”

“I have stayed silent long enough, _brother_.” Loki scowled. “I am done living in the shadow of _Almighty Thor_.”

Thor opened his mouth to respond, but Loki teleported out of the room before he had a chance to get a word out.

“Bad day?” Ragni asked and Thor turned to face her with a weary look planted on his face.

“I apologize, lady Ragni. I was not aware of your presence. I do hope Loki and I have not upset you in any way.”  
  
“You know, I’m not one to just jump in without knowing the details, but your brother seemed pretty upset. Maybe you should like, I don’t know _listen_ to what he is saying instead of just _hearing_ the words.”

She was well aware of Thor’s epic listening skills, especially when it came to Loki. She had avoided him, but it did not mean she hadn’t paid attention.

“Think about things he says to you, Thor.” She left it at that.

Thor was lost in thought for a few moments, before snapping back into reality and responding, “I shall take your words into consideration. I also appreciate your concern for me. Thank you, lady Ragni.”

“You’re welcome, Thor,” she said dryly as he left the room.

Of course only Thor would think she’d said these things in concern for _him_ ; she didn’t say it for Thor.  
She had said it for Loki.

* * *

Ragni had decide it was best to not seek out Loki as much as she wanted to. He was angry and she really did not want to be on the receiving end of it, plus it look like he needed the space. She also did not want Loki to think she was getting clingy. Mostly she just wanted to be sure he was okay. Whatever happened in Asgard did not appear to have been good.

It was lunch before she saw him again. Ragni was sitting in the dinning hall, picking at her food, when Loki plopped down beside her and began eating, as if they’d done this every day. He ignored the confused expression on her face by stealing her dessert.

_That was my cake..._

I mean, it wasn’t every day the God of Mischief sat beside her at lunch, even more so when people took note of how much she had tried to avoid him, but here he was eating a hamburger, fries, and _her_ cake as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

Only with Loki.

She decided to just go with it. Everyone already knew they’d been partnered together permanently by Fury yesterday (much to Tony’s disapproval considering the last time).  
It wouldn’t be so unusual if they’d become friends.

“You stole my cake,” she complained, narrowing her eyes at him.

“So it would appear,” he said smugly.

He never gave it back. In fact, he ate it in three bites. That little shit.

“You’re lucky I like you. I don’t let just anyone _steal_ my cake, _eat it_ , _and_ get away with it.”

“Is that so?” He licked his fork and she melted a bit inside.

It was totally worth Loki stealing her cake.

“Yes, you ass. Red velvet is my favorite and you just ate the last piece,” she paused and grinned wickedly.  
“I might just lick your lips to get a taste.”

“Do not tempt me, little deer. I have no problems taking you right _here_ in front of everyone,” he said roughly, looking at her with dark lusty eyes.

_Oh?_

She swallowed hard and Loki chuckled.

“Maybe another time,” she replied, more honestly than intended.

Loki’s face made her aware of her error as he eyed her up and down, and licked his lips with that damn smile.

“No. No, no no no. I said _maybe_ another time. That means not now, not here.,. Loki. I’m serious.”

She’d at least like her and Loki’s er- whatever- to have some type of presence before he fucked her mindlessly on the table in front of everyone. The shock might end up killing Tony if she’d let him do it now.

He stuck his fork back in his mouth and gave her a devilish grin. He pulled it back out with a pop. “Another time then.”

_Damn you, Loki._

“So! Onto any other topic except that. How was Asgard?”

“Uneventful,” he answered dryly. “It seems as if fa-Odin thinks I’m still a threat to you Midgardians.”

She knew there was more to it; a lot more, but she chose not to push the subject. Choosing her words and tone carefully, she asked, “Are you?”

Loki titled his head and raised an eyebrow. It wasn’t a question out of concern for her safety or even disapproval; only genuine curiosity.

“No. Not at this time.” he answered honestly, staring her in the eyes.

“It wouldn’t matter you know. I’d still like you, Loki,” she told him, never taking her eyes from his gaze.

“I love my staff by the way.” she added quickly. “You truly are amazing. I have no idea how you did it. You deserve so much more credit than what you get,” she paused briefly.  
“Thank you, Loki.”

Ragni broke eye contact and went back to eating, leaving Loki glaring at her in silence.

She bit her lip and hoped to god she had not overstepped any boundaries by her habit of being way to honest for her own good. She relaxed once she heard his response, though she barely heard him.

“You are welcome,” he whispered.  
Loki’s voice was strained, but he composed himself quickly before she could notice.

They both sat quietly for the rest of lunch while Loki stole Ragni’s fries and she retaliated by smacking him.

* * *

It was nearly midnight when Ragni stepped out of the shower and used a towel to dry off, before putting on her robe.

As she stepped into her bedroom, she immediately knew something was off; someone was in her room.

On high alert she glanced around, picking up a dagger off the nightstand. She saw no one, but _someone_ was in here. She could _feel_ them. She didn’t know how she could feel others, it was just something she’d grown up with. For her it was completely normal.

The door was still locked.

She laughed silently to herself when it hit her. She knew exactly who was here; who else would it be.

“Loki, stop hiding. I know you are in here,” she said as turned to place her dagger back in its original spot, then turned back to the empty room.

“ _Come out, come out, where ever you are_ ,” she said huskily, mimicking Lastat’s Queen of the Damned, placing her hands on her hips.

“You felt my presence.” Loki materialized in front of her. “Everyone else remains so unaware, but not you. I knew you were intriguing for a reason, little deer.”

“I can always feel when someone is around me. Don’t ask me why because I don’t know. That and the door is locked from the inside. You’re the only one I know who can walk through walls,” she teased, making Loki chuckle.

As Loki stepped into the moonlight, his pale skin glistened, making him look all the more beautiful. She couldn’t take her eyes off him as he stepped forward to close the space between them, so close his lips brushed ever so lightly against hers.

“Do you know why I am here, little deer?”

“I can take a wild guess,” she breathed as she closed her mouth around his lips kissing him softly, wrapping her arms around his neck. She gently pulled away. “Why do you call me that?”

“Shh. I shall tell you later,” he purred, taking her into his mouth again kissing her deeper.

Oh, what a night this was going to be.


	4. Heart full of daggers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training sessions and a bit of heartache.  
> I really don't know how else to describe this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank all of you who are reading.  
> I will update ASAP. :)

When the alarm clock went off Ragni made a loud disgusted sound as she rolled over, brutally hitting it- anything to make the damn thing just shut the fuck up. She heard Loki grumble. It sounded as if he was cursing and it wasn’t in English.  
  
_Was that Old Norse?_

“What is that infernal beeping sound?” he groaned sleepily after.  
  
Wait-Loki was still here?! Sleeping with her....in her bed?  
  
_Act natural._  
  
Ha! That would be easy. She was too fucking tired to act like anything else but sleepy.  
  
“My stupid fucking alarm clock,” she replied as she finally got the damn noise to stop. “Jesus, it’s six already. When did we go to sleep?”  
  
“Five.”  
  
She whined. “I only got an hour’s sleep!”  
  
She wanted to cry; literally.  
  
Loki rolled over and pulled her into his arms spooning her. “Shut up and go back to sleep.”  
  
_Loki’s holding me? Breathe...breathe....FUCK!_  
  
“Loki,” she groaned. “It’s Tuesday. I wouldn’t get up this early for no reason.”  
  
Oh, how she wished she could stay in bed and spoon him (among other things) all day long. She did NOT want to get up. She wanted to sleep. God, how she wanted to sleep.  
  
This time he groaned. She’s pretty sure he was also cursing in Old Norse again.  
  
“You know we have to be downstairs by seven or Tony will be up here beating down the damn door.”  
  
Tuesday was ‘ _everybody has to get up way fucking earlier than necessary to train all fucking day_ ’ day. Tony had made it a rule. She honestly did not mind the training, she just wished she could sleep until noon and THEN train all day. She hated mornings; she was also a bitch when she hadn’t gotten any sleep.  
  
Today was gonna suck.  
  
“Then we sleep until seven,” Loki whispered against her ear sleepily. It seemed like only seconds when his breathing became stilled and even. The fucker had already fallen back to sleep.  
  
She wasn’t going to argue anyway. She was way too comfortable against him and wanted to enjoy the Loki cuddles. She didn’t take him as the cuddly type, but he was full of surprises.  
  
It didn’t take long before she felt herself drifting off wrapped in Loki’s arms.  
  
Nothing could ruin this moment.  
  
Nothing.  
  
                                                                                                      **-1 hour and twenty minutes later-**  
  
BANG BANG BANG!!  
  
“Shorty, get up!” Tony called outside the door. “You’re twenty minutes late.”  
  
Ragni grumbled sleepily trying to ignore the insist banging.  
  
“Shhhhoooooorrrrtyyyyy.” Tony continued.  
  
_That was drawn out longer than necessary._  
  
“Oh, Shorty, oh Shorty, wake up now, my Shorty...”  
  
_Is he seriously singing?_  
  
“UGH! GO AWAY TONY!” She screamed, causing Loki to flinch beside her.  
  
There was that Old Norse cursing again.  
  
“By the Norns..." Loki groaned, burying his face more against her neck.  
  
_Oh my...._  
  
“Shorrrrty!”  
  
She concluded Tony was definitely singing....  
  
“FINE. I’m up. Now fuck off, Tony!”  
  
_God dammit, Tony!_  
  
She could hear him laughing.  
  
_Asshole._  
  
”Oh, by the way, you haven’t seen Loki have you? I know that’s probably a stupid question since your ass is still sleeping in all,” Tony teased.  
  
She slightly rolled over and glanced at Loki who was more awake now and smiled, “No!”  
  
Loki smirked.  
  
“Alright, I’m sure he’ll turn up eventually. Ten minutes Shorty. Don’t make me sic JARVIS on you.”  
  
She heard Tony’s footsteps growing fainter as he headed down the hallway.  
  
“We have to get up. He will break down my door and find us in bed together or worse.”  
  
“Define worse.”  
  
“You don’t want to know.”  
  
Tony was way too creative when it came to waking her up.  
  
“I’m honestly surprised he came to the door today. Usually I get woken up with more creative measures.”  
  
“As in?”  
  
“Stick around long enough and you’ll see.”

* * *

Why didn’t she stay in bed with Loki? WHY? She didn’t hide the fact that she was tired or in a bitchy mood; everyone had already gotten a mouth full and it had only been fifteen minutes. She even made it a point to sit on her ass and lazily throw knives at the target. She missed most of them, but in her defense, she wasn’t trying.  
  
“Shorty, for fuck's sake. That does not count.” Tony scolded.  
  
“Sure it does. See.” She threw another knife and it bounced off the target. “I just miss a lot.”  
  
Tony sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and walked off.  
  
He was not dealing with this.  
  
Ragni snickered.  
  
Loki had finally made it to the training room.  
  
“Well, well, well, look who decided to finally join us! Reindeer games. You’re almost an hour late, you know.” Tony pointed out. “Where ya been?”  
  
“Around,” Loki smirked.  
  
“You’re looking awfully tired there. You didn’t get yourself a girlfriend, did you? She keep you up all night?”  
  
Tony gave Loki a wink. Was he fucking serious.  
  
_Oh Tony for the love of GOD. STOP._  
  
Loki chuckled ignoring Tony’s comment and walked past him.  
  
Tony shrugged and dropped the topic, thank the fucking gods, and went to join Natasha, Clint, and Steve.  
  
Thor must be with Jane. It annoyed the piss out of her how training was optional for him- ONLY him.  
  
Bruce was exempt for obvious reasons.  
  
Ragni saw Loki approaching her through her peripheral vision.  
  
“You are missing more of those than you are landing,” he teased.  
  
“Damn. And this entire time I thought I’d been hitting the target.”  
  
Loki chuckled. “Stand up. Let me help you.”  
  
_Wait, what?!_  
  
She took his offer, he was the master knife thrower after all. No one would question it, at least they shouldn’t. She was just stoked he wanted to be around her, although it was still confusing as hell. Either way, she got to spend the day with Loki. It might not be such a bad day after all.  
  
Now, if she could just not act like a sixteen year old girl around him, she’d be good. Thankfully, her bad mood should mask that.  
  
At least she hoped.

* * *

“I suck at this! You’re also making me look bad!” Ragni complained as she was actually now trying to hit the target.  
  
She could if she stood still and threw them straight, but Loki was having her throw them in mid-jump and spin. She wasn’t sure what to call it... She half expected him to have her throw knives with her eyes closed...backwards, while upside down by this point.  
  
This was ridiculous.  
  
She should have expected this.  
  
“Relax,” he demanded. “You are trying too hard.”  
  
She let out a deep breath, jumped, spun, threw....and missed.  
  
“This is pointless,” she growled, glaring at him.  
  
“Why! Why are you doing this to me?”  
  
“Did you honestly expect to master this your first day?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
Loki let out a frustrated sigh.  
  
“Then I’m afraid your expectations will not be met. Although, by now you should be hitting the target at least in some of your tries. It really is not that difficult.”  
  
“Says the guy who has 800 plus years on me doing this. Thanks for the pep talk, Joe.”  
  
Loki rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.  
  
“Again,” he growled as he motioned towards the target.  
  
Great, now he was angry. _Hey, you’re the one who offered, buddy!_  
  
Ragni grumbled, but obliged. Taking another deep breath, she actually forced herself to relax this time.  
  
She repeated her move and wait....she actually hit the fucking target?  
  
That was just pure luck. She retrieved her knife and tried again.  
  
She hit it again.  
  
“Are you doing this?” She questioned Loki.  
  
“Does it look like I’m throwing the knives?”  
  
“Shut up. I mean with magic?”  
  
“I’m aware of what you meant and no. You are achieving it on your own,” he replied.  
  
“It’s about fucking time.”  
  
“I agree.”  
  
“Screw you,” she exclaimed.  
  
“With pleasure,” he told her huskily.  
  
Mmmmm  
  
There’s that famous smirk.  
  
_Victory!_  
  
Luckily Loki had not taken her up on her unintentional offer to be screwed in front of everyone. For that she was thankful. Well, kinda...it was more of a 50/50 kind of thankful.  
  
By the end of the evening she had officially hit the target more than she had missed.

* * *

Four days had gone by without speaking to Loki; four fucking torturous days. Ragni had seen him around, but he had made no effort to approach her and she was too stubborn herself to approach him.  
  
She couldn’t shake the horrible thoughts that violated her mind.  
  
_He has already grown bored of you..._  
  
_He does not want you..._  
  
_You are not good enough..._  
  
_He will never love you..._  
  
She was getting more and more antsy as each day went by. She refused to go to him, she wouldn’t be that person. No fucking way. She wouldn’t do it. She refused to do it.  
  
Oh my god, she was totally going to be that person. She couldn’t take it anymore. _Why?_ Why had he all of a sudden decided to ignore her? It hurt her more than she wanted to admit and she almost, almost left to go to his room. She got up, her legs began to move and...  
  
_No._  
  
No. She wouldn’t, she couldn’t. Instead, she picked up her staff and headed to the training room. She had way too much pent up anger and frustration. She couldn’t face him and she couldn’t sleep. She also didn’t give a damn how late it was or who saw her. She needed to release it before she exploded.  
  
It was four in the morning by the time she stopped, dripping in sweat, and lastly exhausted. As she turned to leave, she saw Thor standing in the doorway eyeing her curiously. She pushed the lever on her staff to retract the blades and would have swore she heard Thor gasp, but she couldn’t see him.  
  
The hallway was too dark.  
  
“How did you acquire that?” Thor asked as he took a few steps towards her eyeing her staff closer. ”That is not the weapon you had before.” It sounded like a question, but it was intended to be a statement.  
  
“Not exactly,” she answered anyway.  
  
Thankfully, she was too tired and still slightly angry to reveal the hurt she felt through her tone. He just had to remind her Loki had made it, even if he was unaware at the moment.  
  
She had done everything in her power to attempt to forget...at least for the night.  
  
“That is not of Midgard,” he stated.  
  
_No shit, Sherlock._  
  
“That would be correct.”  
  
“Loki?” Thor was clearly confused. “I do not understand.”  
  
“Join the fucking club.”  
  
_Shit, was that too revealing? Please stay clueless, Thor, please..._  
  
“Loki does not do things without reason,” he was still clearly fucking confused.  
  
_That was a close one..._  
  
Thor was thinking and Thor’s thinking face was hilarious. It seemed as if it hurt his brain by the face he was making. She really wanted to laugh, but it would have been inappropriate, so she bite her tongue; literally. She also didn’t respond; instead gave him a short hum.  
  
“Ragni?”  
  
Apparently she’d spaced out for a minute.  
  
“What?”  
  
“Are you well?”  
  
_Not really...._  
  
“I’m just tired Thor. I need sleep.”  
  
She didn’t give him time to respond or even tell him goodbye. She just simply brushed past him and left the room. She just wanted to sleep and forget about the dull ache in her chest.


	5. Love can be dangerous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ragni is not too happy with Loki and a sneak peak of Ragni's background story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there is a suggestive dagger-scene. Not too sure if it counts as a trigger, so just be aware. :D
> 
> Also-I normally wait until my Chapters are posted on Tumblr-Imagine Loki, but I've decided to not wait and post them as they get finished. Ch. 6 is done and I will be posting it very, very soon.
> 
> Also, sorry for the double spacing. I may fix it eventually. I was lazy, I'm sorry.

The next afternoon Ragni was alone in the library, copyingsome paperwork for Tony once again. She never understood how he talked her into doing his work-oh right, he was fucking _Tony_. He was a smooth-talker, it was hard to say no to the man. Although, she could if she chose to, but she had decided she needed the distraction. She’d actually been so distracted by her job that she hadn’t noticed Loki approaching her.

She jumped when he spoke.

_Jesus, sneaky much?_

“You look as if you are enjoying yourself.” He stated casually, well aware of how intent she was on copying paperwork.

Ragni met Loki’s gaze and he had a cheeky grin. She wanted to roll her eyes, but held back.

She still didn’t hide the fact that she was upset; as if she really a choice in the matter.

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware we were speaking,” she replied, sharply removing her gaze from his.

_God damn him. Trying to come in here with that sexy look, acting as if he didn’t avoid me the last five fucking days and to top it off he warned me about trying to avoid him! Is he serious right now?_

“You’re upset?” Loki questioned, as if he was genuinely confused, raising a brow.

“I’m fine,” she growled, not looking at him.

Loki stalked towards her until he was so close she could feel his breath against her face. He had leant down into her, he was a hell of a lot taller than she was. He was at least six feet, if not taller, and her a mere five feet.

Her nickname was _Shorty_ for a reason.

“You lie,” he all but growled. “Do not lie to me, _l_ _ittle deer_.”

_Was that a threat?_

Ragni couldn’t stop herself. God damn her big fucking mouth.

“You know what?” she shouted, turning towards him. “FINE! I am upset. No, actually, I’m pissed off at you! At YOU!” She pointed her index finger, poking him in the chest. “For avoiding me for almost a week. Why! Did I not satisfy you?”

She could have left that last part out.

She hadn’t realized her breathing had picked up or the fact that she was on her tippy toes to get more in his face.

_What the fucking hell are you doing Ragni?! Are you insane, standing up to Loki...LOKI?!_

Well, it was too late to turn back now.

Loki’s mouth was partly open and he was wide-eyed. Was it really that big of a shock, she stood up to him?

_Apparently it was._

Loki's face said it all, but the shocked expression quickly wore off turning into anger and she quickly broke eye contact out of embarrassment.

Bad fucking idea.

Loki gripped the back of Ragni’s head with force, his hand full of hair as he tilted her head back so that she had to meet his crazed gaze. She almost cried out from the pain, but instead she bit her lip so hard she could taste blood.

A dagger was suddenly held to her throat with his free hand. She froze, but kept her composer.

“How dare you _challenge_ me! Do you know how easily I could end your life, _mortal_!” He spat darkly as the blade pressed harder against her bare skin.

She wouldn’t be surprised if it left a red mark.

She refused to show Loki weakness. She refused to show fear. She was not weak and he would learn that quickly. She could not overpower him, but she would not let him break her mentally.

At least not his way. It was not the first time she’d been threatened and she doubted it would be the last.

Everything in her brain that told her she should have reacted in fear was completely broken. She _should_ have been scared. She should have been really scared, but why wasn’t she? Loki could very well kill her-right here, right now. JARVIS could alert someone, but by the time anyone got to her, it would already be too late.

She wondered if the A.I. had already.

_The library..._

It was a dead zone. One of the very few places with no cameras.

She really was on her own with Loki. JARVIS couldn’t even save her if she needed it.

“I’m well aware,” she replied sternly, never leaving Loki’s gaze. “I am not foolish.”

She wasn’t normally—just way too overbearing, honest, and she also had a hard time taking other peoples shit. She knew she’d fucked up, but she wasn’t going to back down now, even if she did love him...

and there was that chance he’d kill her.

But she would not plead or beg him. Not under these circumstances.

Sex yes, this _no_.

“Your actions speak otherwise,” he corrected.

“Why? Because I am not afraid of you, Loki?” Her tone had gone from harsh to soft.

She really wasn’t afraid of him and wanted him to know it.

“Because I’m not. Go ahead. Kill me, if that is what you wish.”

Loki tensed and hissed through gritted teeth, but otherwise remained frozen.

“Why do you test me?” Loki snarled, baring his overly sharp looking...

_Are those fangs? No, no, they’re teeth..._

“I’m not testing you, Loki. I’m just trying to let you know I do not fear you.”

“Why? I could end your life in mere seconds and no one would ever know what happened to you. What is to stop me from doing so?”

He had her there. What would stop him? The fact she’d sleep with him was nothing. That was obvious. He was a thousand years old. He’d been with plenty of women. She was nothing to him. Her mind spun as she tried to think of anything except the three words she’d sworn she’d never reveal. Anything but, ‘ _I love you_.’ She would not set herself up for that epic failure.

Then it hit her, she knew exactly what to say. “Because I trust you not to,” her words were spoken slow and honest, never breaking eye contact. Her eyes begged him to believe her.

She could tell Loki was shaking now as the blade quivered against her skin just slightly.

* * *

*****LoKI's** **POV*****

Loki became instantly aware that Ragni wasn’t lying as her eyes revealed everything. She also wasn’t shaking. Her heart rate was only slightly elevated. She was as still as a statue as he held the blade to her throat, her tone calm and collected.

The Widow was a bold and outspoken woman, but this girl was something else. Everyone had been so intimidated by Loki, avoiding him, yet here is a five foot girl who was struggling to stand on her tippy toes, screaming in his face.

Loki didn’t know what to make of her. At this point he wasn’t even sure how to take her. Loki had only pulled the dagger out to scare her, but here she was completely unfazed. Most mortals at least shook when they had a blade held to their throat, but not this girl.

Loki wasn't sure if she was extremely brave or just plain stupid. And why had she chosen to trust him?

No one else ever had, and to top it off, he had a fucking blade to her damn throat and still… she chose to trust him.

He wanted to tell her how much of a fool she was; how stupid she was. He wanted to ask her why she trusted him when no one else did, especially now, but Loki remained silent; the words were trapped in his throat. Instead, he went with his instincts, despite his own warnings.

Loki's eyes, that had been almost murderous, shifted into something else entirely.

Desire.

In one swift move Loki had all but thrown her on a table, but not before using the dagger to cut open her blouse. She gasped and Loki made the blade disappear entirely as if it were never held to her throat to begin with. He pinned both her wrists above her head with one hand as the other greedily made its way up her skirt to remove her panties, then removed his hard member from his pants.

Loki crawled on top of her. He forced himself between her legs. Ragni whimpered against him as he held her down, the wetness pooling in her lower regions.

It had been too long; five days too long.

* * *

Ragni was panting in anticipation, still just as addicted to Loki as she been earlier. Forget the fact he had just threatened to murder her.

He was her drug; her unhealthy, beautiful, soul-sucking, can’t get enough of drug.

A drug she would do literally anything to keep.

She didn’t want Loki to stop. Even if she had asked him to, she highly doubted it would do much good. It all happened so fast that it made her head spin.

She heard Loki whispering something in her ear.

_Was that Old Norse again?_

It sounded like a chant of some sort, but the thought quickly left her mind.

Loki didn’t give her time to get ready for him or adjust to his size, but she’d been deprived for nearly a week, so it wasn’t like she really needed it. She was more than ready for him. The entire ordeal had aroused her as much as she hated to admit it.

The moment she realized what he was doing, she let go of her anger and let the lust, no, her love, for Loki take over, allowing herself to be spelled by him once again.

Ragni knew she’d asked for it, even if she hadn’t said the words. The intent was there, it had always been.

She let out a gasp as Loki thrust into her in a dominant, almost feral manner. His mouth was all over hers, entrancing her with deep slow kisses.

She’d almost forgotten how cold Loki was. It wasn’t uncomfortable. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

She couldn’t breathe, the euphoria had completely taken over her mind and body.

“Is this what you crave?” Loki growled lustfully in her ear after pulling away from her mouth. His ragged breathing was becoming more erratic now.

She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t think. Hell, she wasn’t sure if she would ever catch her breath. She might just die right here, right now anyway.

“Answer me!” Loki threatened, louder this time.

“Y...yes...” she finally managed through a series of moans. “I want you...only you.”

“Of course you do,” he said smugly, giving her a devilish laugh. “No one can satisfy you as I do. Not now that I have taken you.”

Ragni whimpered a nod, hoping it was enough to satisfy him.

Apparently it had been enough. Loki’s thrusts became more erratic, if that was even possible, and she could feel the intense pressure building in her higher and higher, until all she could do was scream his name. He pulled out of her slightly only to thrust back in over and over. The pace and the feeling were so agonizing that she thought she might actually faint.

“Come for me... _now_!” Loki purred in her ear as he pushed himself as deeply into her as he possibly could from this angle and slowly began to move his hips in a circular manner.

The intensity of it left her breathless. Her screams halted, she also couldn’t cry out. No noise could escape her throat, no matter how hard she tried to force it out.

She felt Loki come inside her moments later.

Her vision blurred. She couldn’t see or hear anything around her. Black spots, muffled sounds, then darkness.

* * *

When she awoke, she was in her own bed. Alone.

_Did I seriously fucking pass out!!!_

Ragni scolded herself for being so weak. How could she have folded to Loki so easily? Why had she allowed herself to become his victim again?

She already knew the answer. She couldn’t lie to herself; no matter how much she wanted to be able to do so. She’d allowed herself to fall to him, to submit to him, because she loved him. With Loki, there was no rational thinking. Anything logical and rational went out the door the moment he touched her. She’d sworn to never let a man have such an effect on her again, but at this point she was pretty sure she’d take over the world just to get him to really _notice_ her. She felt so idiotic.

But it wasn’t as if she’d never killed before or used others for her own benefit, among a long list of other shit. She wondered if the Avengers knew who she really was (or perhaps used to be; she hadn’t decided yet). SHEILD had to have known, right?

Ragni was no angel. In fact, she’d been compared to Lucifer himself more than once. She had a mouth on her and unlike other people she actually followed through with her threats.

But she’d grown weak. The Avengers had made her weak. She cared, she cared for them in a weird way. She considered them her friends.

How Clint ever saw anything good in her still blew her mind, but he'd been right, in a way. She _was_ good, right now, but it wouldn't take much for her to fall back into bad habits, especially if Loki was involved.

Ragni was beginning to wonder how far she’d really go for Loki; to please him, to be with him, for him to love her back—now that was wishful thinking.

She wondered if Loki could even love after everything he'd been through- The broken trust of his father, finding out his true heritage after being told his entire life they were monsters, his tactless and brash brother, his suicide attempt (yes, she knew about that), _Thanos_ and _The Other._

While she didn't know all the details, she knew Loki had been brainwashed and possibly tortured. Ragni clinched her fists. The thought of anyone hurting Loki made her feel murderous. She felt sorry for any fool that tried, you know, if Loki hadn't already killed them first.

Then there was the death of Loki's mother, Frigga.

Ragni didn’t even want to think about it anymore. She knew the one and only person who ever cared for Loki was dead and any love he may have had was probably dead too. But she still _wanted_ to love him, she would not abandon him like the others; even if it ended up killing her.  
  
Literally.

* * *

**-One year ago-**

_It was raining so hard Ragni could barely see. Both she and Clint were bloody, muddy, and exhausted. He stood in front of her with his bow drawn, an arrow in the quiver; the arrow that was suppose to take her out. He had order's, but so did she. Her former boss had given her a task. She had intended to take care of said task. At least until Clint started talking._  
  
_This was their third attempt in assassinating one another. Clint was good, but she was just as equally good._

“ _You can stop this, you know,” Clint told her as she stepped towards him._

_Ragni swung her staff at Clint, but he dodged the blow. Ragni growled. How did he keep dodging her swings! Ragni swung again, this time Clint dodged her attack just barely._

“ _Ragni, stop!” Clint pleaded, his bow still aimed towards her._

_Her body froze as the anger seeped through her veins. “H-How do you know my name?!” She spoke through gritted teeth.  
_

_The rain was freezing cold._

“ _I know more than just that.”_

_Ragni scoffed. “You're just s-stalling. W-Why not just shoot me? You know you c-can, why hold b-back! Why allow me to live?!”_

“ _I don't want to kill you.”_

“ _Why!” She shouted._

“ _Because you don't deserve it. This isn't your fault. Let me help you.”_

“ _You can't help me, no one can!”_

“ _I can. Let. Me. Help. You.”_

_Ragni shook her head, “You don't understand. I can't! I don't have a choice.”_

“ _Everyone has a choice.”_


	6. The offer and an oath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki gives Ragni an offer.  
> Loki unknowingly agrees to something he may later on regret. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who have been reading.  
> I apologize if this Chapter is shorter than usual.  
> As soon as I get Chapter 7 edited/revised, I will upload it.

Two days went by before Loki sought Ragni out again. She had attempted to scurry off before he saw her, but failed epically; as if she could really run and hide from the God of Mischief.

“Ragni, I already saw you. Now stop running from me. I can find you wherever you go. It's rather pointless, to run, really.” Loki spoke, eerily calm from down the hall.

She froze, knowing Loki spoke the truth. He could find her anytime he wanted. The tower was big, but not that big.

Loki approached Ragni but at a comfortable distance.

_Actually, come to think of it, he isn’t close enough._

Without thinking, she took a step towards Loki brushing slightly against his chest.

_Okay, perhaps that’s too close._

Loki responded to her mishap by placing one of his hands on her hips and smirking.

_Or perhaps not._

“I wish to speak with you. In private."

Unlike the first time there was no lust in the word _private,_ but he was clearly up to something.

“Fine,” she replied, knowing she was already defeated long before this conversation began. “Your room or mine?”

She wondered if she'd ever be able to tell Loki no. 

* * *

Ragni sat anxiously on Loki’s bed, watching him pace back and forth. Every now and again he would stop to stare at her, then start pacing again. He‘d been doing it for five minutes.

“Loki, for fuck's sake, say something! You’re creeping me out with that... that.. whatever it is you're doing.”

Loki chuckled. He fucking chuckled. What was with this man.

“I have a proposition for you,” he began. “Since you seem so eager to be in my company, I am here to offer it to you.”

_OH!?_

“Every other weekend.”

_Oh._

“What?”

What the fucking hell was she hearing! Was he seriously saying that he’d fuck her every other weekend? She wasn’t sure whether to be thrilled or offended.

“Are you daft, woman? Yes! You and I, every other Friday and Saturday night.”

Okay, she had processed that correctly.

“I was just trying to be sure okay! You’re confusing as hell, Loki.”

Loki chuckled again. _Oh, and now he’s smirking._ What a little shit, a cute little shit, but a little shit none the less.

“Do you accept?”

“Are there any other terms? World domination, slavery, or anything of the sort I should know about first?” she half joked making Loki’s grin wider.

“I won’t lie to you and say it may never happen.”

That’s exactly what she was afraid of.

“And the weekends you aren’t with _me_?”

She knew it was stupid, but she couldn’t help but feel insecure.

“I won’t be with other women if that is what you are implying,” he said clearly amused. “That goes for men as well.”

 _It was and wait, what? Men!_ Ragni concluded that Loki just got _a lot_ sexier.

Ragni replied to that with a nod.

“Do you accept my offer?” Loki asked again.

“Yes, under one small condition.” She _had_ to know. “For the love of god, please tell me. Why do you call me little deer?”

* * *

Apparently the day Loki had saved her from impending doom she had reminded him of a deer in headlights. Frozen, wide eyed, and too fucking stupid to move out of the way. He also stated that was the look she gave him when he’d first approached her. Unknowingly to her, she made this look a lot, more times than not, and it was always when she was with Loki. She decided she hated her nickname. She begged him to change it, but Loki only laughed at her and even started saying it more because he knew how much she hated it. What a little shit.

God, how she loved him.

It was a month in a half into her and Loki's _arrangement_ and Ragni found herself in a rather strange predicament. They were watching the news. _The news._ Her and Loki was sitting on the couch quietly watching fucking TV. It wasn't as if she did not enjoy this strange normal time with Loki, but she couldn't help but think, _why are we not having sex?_ It had always been about sex. They had not done nothing else, but today, everything about their relationship seemed almost normal. Hell, the only time they had really spoken was when they were out in public, but even then it was just small talk.

Ragni really wished she could watch something else. The news was so boring and depressing. She grabbed the remote and changed the channel. One of her favorite shows was on. “Yes!” She exclaimed and set the remote back on the table. She hadn't noticed Loki staring at her, clearly irritated.

“I was watching that,” he stated as he grabbed the remote and changed the channel back to the news.

Ragni wasn't having it. This was _her_ room. “Excuse me,” she snatched the remote from Loki. “This is my room. My rules.” She changed the channel back to her show.

“I don't think so.” Loki stated angrily as he took the remote back. “You're room, _my_ rules.” He changed the channel. He also kept the remote.

_Seriously. He's gonna be like that._

Ragni was annoyed, seriously annoyed. She crossed her arms and let out a huff but then the light bulb in her head click in her brain. She had an idea. “Fine then, I guess that means when we are in your room, it's _your room, my rules?_ ”

“Sure.” Loki stated only half hearing her, more interested in whatever the fuck was happening on the television.

“Sure, huh?” She smiled innocently. “I need something better than that, Loki.”

Loki rolled his eyes, muted the TV, and then turned to glare at her.

“What are you gibbering about now woman?”

“You just said if we are in your room it's “your room, my rules,” so I need a promise, no, an oath. That you are serious.”

Loki continued to glare at her and let out a frustrated sigh. “Fine, sure, upon oath, do as you please in my chambers. Now let me watch the damned news right now and shut your incessant babbling.”

“Okay,” she smiled as Loki un-muted the TV.

Ragni smiled wickedly when she was sure Loki was looking back at the TV. He had no fucking idea what he just agreed to.

After thirty more boring minutes Loki finally switched off the TV.

“Thank god,” Ragni sighed in relief.

“Is it really that draining to be in my company?” Loki asked indifferently.

_Wait? What?_

“No, no, Loki. I just, I hate the news is all. Sitting here with you is nice actually,” she admitted. “I love your company.”

Shit, she'd used the word love.

“So,” she added quickly. “What do you want to do now?”

“I can think of a few things.” Loki told her, as he slowly brushed his index finger against her lip, working its way down her chest, making her heart beat a million miles an hour.

“Oh,” she choked. “Like what?”

“Allow me to demonstrate.” Loki told her before kissing her gently, then pulled back with a wicked grin.

Also,” he chuckled darkly, looking her directly in the eyes. “You should have never changed the channel, _little deer._ I'm going to _fuck_ you back into submission just to teach you a lesson.”

Ragni had never swallowed so hard in her life and she was pretty sure she was giving off her _deer in the headlights_ look. Loki then proceeded to fuck Ragni in every position, on every surface, in every way possible. She would have been lying if she said she hadn't enjoyed every moment of it.


	7. Things have changed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki can be sweet. :) & a peak into Loki's POV.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My lovely editor has been busy, so if there are any typos/mistakes....Sorry. D:  
> It's so hard for me to proof read my own work. lol 
> 
> DISCLAIMER- I went back and fixed what errors there were, as well as the STUPID double spacing, it insists I use....  
> :O

The first two months had gone exactly as Loki had said- every other weekend - but at the beginning of the third month Loki had randomly decided to change the rules on her; instead of every other weekend, it was now every weekend. Though Ragni could not say she was complaining.

 Loki claimed to have finished whatever it was he had been doing and was now free and merely bored. Why did she get this insane idea there was more to it than that? It wasn’t just the fact that he’d changed the rules, but it was when she began to notice the subtle differences in the way he would approach her, the way he spoke to her, the way he would kiss her, even the way he fucked her; she couldn’t stop her head from spinning. Sex with Loki was now  _almost_ always very slow, sensual, and even sweet; that is if she behaved. Loki would take his time, making sure she got every ounce of pleasure he could give her. Some days it all seemed like too much. Not only on her body but her heart and mind as well.

Confusing was a fucking understatement.

Loki could be so sweet at times, then other moments he was an entirely different person and would turn on her. Just as she thought he had him figured out or he was going to open up to her, he’d shut her out again. She never pushed anything, although she cannot say she hadn’t had to bite her tongue a few times.

 Surprisingly the rest of the Avengers had remained  _mostly_ oblivious to the nature of her and Loki’s, erm, relationship? She had also stopped trying so hard to mask her emotions around him and found she was more relaxed as time went on. She was flirty by nature and she’d admit she was a bit overly-flirty when it came to Loki, but she couldn’t help herself. Tony was the first to really notice. Big surprise there.

 “ _So shorty, what’s up with you and Reindeer games?” He casually asked one day, after once again pawning off his paperwork on her._

 “ _I don’t know what you mean,” she played off rather nicely._

  _Actually, she did. She knew exactly what he meant._

 “ _It’s just you two seem awfully...friendly_.”

 She never replied to Tony. Instead, she started giggling like a school girl and left the room, leaving him lost in his own thoughts and suspicions. Honestly, she really did not have an answer for him even if she’d wanted to respond. Luckily for her Tony never brought it up again, at least he hadn't yet.

* * *

It was a rainy evening halfway through the third month with Loki…

They sat on Ragni’s bed laughing and joking as they played a stupid board game he had insisted they play. She was enjoying herself, though, in these moments Loki seemed as if he was really hers and she was really his and not just a toy he liked to play with.

 “How do you keep beating me!” Ragni exclaimed with a half giggle. “I’m great at Scrabble and you just destroyed me.”

 “Did you expect any less from me?” He asked smugly.

 “No, not really.” She hadn’t, and there was no point in even bitching about losing. It wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t every fucking game.

 “I’m done with this. Let’s do something else.”

 “I have an idea.” Loki’s face lit up like a fucking Christmas tree.

 “Should I be worried?”

 Loki shrugged, “Wear something warm.”

 What the hell was he up to?

* * *

Just when Ragni thought Loki couldn’t surprise her anymore, he did. The scenery that now surrounded her was breathtaking. The air was cold, but the skies above her glowed a luminescent greenish-yellow, distracting her from it. She gasped, taking in everything around her and almost stumbled onto the ground in the process. She would have if Loki hadn’t caught her arm. Nothing else but thick, deep snow appeared around them in the distance.

“Are these...”

“Yes.” Loki interjected as if reading her mind.

_The Northern Lights.  
_

She couldn’t believe it. She’d mentioned to Loki before in casual conversation about how she wished to see this one day, but she didn’t actually think he’d been listening, let alone be the one to take her to see it. No wonder she loved this man so much.

“Where are we?”

Ragni could see the frost forming on her breath as she spoke. Wherever they were, it was fucking freezing.

“Alaska,” he stated nonchalantly as if he came here every day of his life.

_Alaska?!_

“Loki...” She was at a loss for words. He never ceased to amaze her with what he was capable of. She had stopped asking questions a month ago.

Ragni was not aware of how long she stood there entranced in the skies. She hadn’t even noticed she had started shaking from the extreme temperatures until Loki entwined her hand into his, bringing her back into reality. She looked at him and in that moment she would have given anything to have him right then, but there was that high chance of hypothermia.

“We must leave now,  _Minn sva’ss_. You are freezing,” he spoke softly, kissing the top of her head.

Ragni shuddered. Normally she would have assumed it was from the cold, but it was from the way Loki had said, _Minn sva'ss_. A simple word had nearly brought her to her knees. What the hell did that even mean? What happened to that annoying name he insisted on calling her before? She took a mental note to Google translate that shit, although she would never remember to do so.

“I will  _warm_  you once we arrive back at the tower.”

Ragni was counting on it. She wanted nothing more than to be entangled in Loki’s embrace as she entwined her fingers through his beautiful raven hair.

* * *

*****Loki’s POV*****

Within seconds Loki had teleported them back to Ragni’s room, immediately wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her into a slow sensual kiss. He cupped her ass and lifted her up and she quickly responded by wrapping her legs around him, lacing her fingers through his hair. She kissed his neck. She kissed his chest.

There was just something about the way she wanted him. Loki couldn’t help but allow her to take him, to  _want_  her to take him. She was always so eager for him. He’d be lying to himself if he didn’t admit she had had a crazy effect on him recently. What the hell was this woman doing to him? Loki often found himself unable to control himself around her. Though they were together every weekend now, it still did not seem like enough.

He had already altered the deal once.

Loki pinned Ragni to the bed with her hands above her head, lacing their fingers together as he kissed her almost frantically with an open mouth. She moaned against him and he could barely control himself. Magically, Loki removed both of their clothing, never missing a beat as he devoured her. Ragni didn’t appear surprised by the sudden, unexpected nudity. He assumed she’d grown used to it, since he’d done this quite often.

Loki couldn’t help but let his own moans escape his throat as he removed a hand from hers to slip two fingers into her already more than ready entrance. He rarely had to prepare her, and although he thoroughly enjoyed teasing her, he wanted her and he wanted her now. They both let out a gasp as he pulled his fingers out abruptly- lacing his hand with her's again- and shifted to make it easier to thrust himself inside her. Breaking the kiss to meet her eyes, Loki took no time as he began rocking his hips back and forth in an almost desperate manner.

Anything to feel her pleasure; his pleasure.

His time with her was the _only_  time Loki had ever allowed himself to really let go and forget everything. It was as if his past and present didn’t exist. When it was just the two of them, she made Loki feel as if he was the only man left in the world; as if she was willing to do anything and everything in her power to keep him. She worshipped him. She had worshiped every inch of him over the last three months. He didn’t understand how she did it. There were times Loki wondered if there was anything he would not do for her at this point, just to have her look at him like that forever. She made him feel so wanted, almost as if...

 _No_.

Ragni felt amazing against Loki's skin as he filled her. His rocking was soon replaced with a slow, deep thrusting circular motion. He knew how much she loved it when he did that. Loki could already feel himself wanting to peak, but he held it. He wanted to relish in it; in her.

He never wanted their lovemaking to end.

But it had to end. Everything had to end at some point.

_“Nothing lasts forever. No matter how hard you tried to hold on to it, in the end, it is always just one step away from slipping completely from your grasp. To be lost forever in time, one day forgotten, as if it was never there to, begin with.”_

By this point, Loki was sure they were both in pain from the ecstasy. She had resorted to begging him. Oh, how he loved to hear her beg. Her breathless moans pleading for him to allow her release that only he was capable of giving. He knew no one else could please her in ways he had. She’d already admitted it. It made him feel empowered- to know that she craved only him. And to think only a little over three months ago, he had threatened to kill her… even if he hadn't actually intended to do it, the thought now made him sick.

The room was filled with Ragni’s screams and Loki’s moans as they came together, not stopping until every bit of their orgasms had been ridden out. Loki laid his head down into the curve of her neck, listening to her heavy breathing and feeling smug about being the cause of it.

He swallowed hard when emotions he didn’t understand started to resurface again.

He  _wanted_  more. He  _craved_  more.

Had Ragni bewitched him? No. This was just lust. She was just his friend.

_His friend, he could not stop having sex with, or stop thinking about..._

He had just grown used to her company, that’s all. It was nothing more than that; nothing.

At least, that’s what he kept telling himself.

Loki took the time to lean up and look at Ragni again and her eyes glowed with something he had not witnessed before. Why, why is she looking at him like that?

“Why the strange look?” Loki questioned, slightly more tense, now that he had come back down from his sexual high.

“Nothing, just good sex,” she smiled as she laced her fingers into his hair again.

Loki swallowed again. He felt nervous. Why was he so nervous? He wasn’t even sure where his next words came from.

“You do know it is unwise to grow attached to me,” he said almost regretfully.

Did he want her to become attached to him? Why did he even have that thought? Where the Hel was this suddenly coming from?

“I’m not,” she replied sheepishly, biting her lower lip.

Loki didn’t believe her, but his gut was screaming at him to keep his mouth shut, so he did. He forced himself to roll off of Ragni, then pulled her into his arms and buried his face into her hair, instantly relaxing against her. It didn’t take long for him to drift off to sleep. This was something he’d grown used to. He found it troubling to sleep alone now. His nightmares took over his mind when he was alone, but not with her.

When he was with her, he was safe and he never wanted to let her go.

* * *

Ragni could hear Loki’s shallow breaths as she listened to him sleep, cursing at herself for allowing her guard to slip. She had given him that look. The ‘ _I’m undeniably in love with you_ ’ look. She had to be more careful. If she scared Loki away now she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to take it, she wasn’t sure if her heart would be able to take it. To top it off, now there was the issue of Loki, telling her not to get attached to him.

_Right, says the guy who’s been acting really fucking weird and takes me to see the Northern Lights (romantic much?) and then makes sweet love to me afterward!_

How in the hell could she not grow attached? She’d been attached to him from the first night, as much as she hated to admit it. That’s why she’d been so angry with him for ignoring her. She wanted him. She wanted him and it hurt her if he didn’t want her back. She wasn’t sure how to take their relationship anymore. It was getting too confusing, even borderline painful.

 It was almost as if he cared, almost as if...

  _No._

 Behind closed doors it seemed like nothing could break them, but she knew this wouldn’t last.

 Nothing worth a shit ever did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minn sva’ss- My beloved
> 
> (According to Google -I do not know Norse, so I'm going off Google,lol)


	8. Just another day at the office

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something is always happening somewhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, be prepared for the next several chapters to be rather, intense. ;)  
> Thank you to all who are reading & commenting. <3
> 
> Also, I apologize if there are any errors. :/ I wanted to get it out early for you guys. lol :)

**-Two months later-**

Ragni was jolted awake by the sudden sound of a high-pitched alarm. She let out a groan before crawling out of bed, preparing to get suited up and deal with whatever the fuck was going on right now. She glanced at her alarm clock.

It was 3am.

Another groan and a few choice curse words escaped her lips. The alarm only goes off like this if it were an emergency, so obviously shit was going down somewhere. Ragni quickly suited up, grabbed her staff, and headed downstairs to wait for the others. She only had one thought the entire way.

_Tony better have some coffee ready...._

Clint and Natasha were already waiting when she arrived. “Do you have any idea what's going on?” Ragni groaned.

Clint just shrugged.

“Your guess is a good as mine.” Natasha replied.

“Wonderful.” Ragni did not hide her frustration.

Steve and Bruce then joined them.

“Do you all know what is going on?” Steve questioned.

Everyone shrugged.

“This better be important.” Loki complained as he walked in. “I don't take lightly to those who interrupt my sleep.”

“Ditto.” Ragni concurred.

“Do you think any of us are especially happy, Loki? As if you of all people really need the sleep. You can deal with losing a few hours.” Bruce added with a hint of annoyance.

“Who pissed in your cereal this morning, corn flakes.” Ragni growled, rolling her eyes.

_Chill out there, gummy bear._

“Ragni.” Natasha scolded, she just shrugged.

Ragni was well aware her comment towards Bruce was uncalled for, but being sleepy, she was grouchy, and the fact Bruce had lashed out at Loki had pissed her off. Loki never got a chance to reply due to Tony walking in by this point.

“So sorry everyone.” Tony apologized holding two cup holders full of coffee, one stacked on top of the other, each holding four cups so everyone got one. “Here. Everyone take one of these.”

“Thank god.” Ragni said, greedily taking a cup.

“Calm down there Shorty. There is enough for everyone. Oh, has anyone called Thor?”

He must have been at Jane's, again.

“I did.” Steve told Tony.

As if he'd known they'd spoken his name, they heard the sudden _Whoosh_ of Thor dropping in outside. It was only seconds before he joined them.

“Hello, my friends. Brother.” Thor exclaimed happily as he walked in. Loki rolled his eyes. “What seems to be the emergency?”

“Yeah Tony, why am I up at...” Ragni looked at her watch. “3:12am?”

Tony handed Thor his coffee and he thanked him. “There is something going down in Paris. I don't know all the details. I will know more once we are on our way. The aircraft is waiting for us on the roof.” Tony explained. “We must leave now.”

“Paris?!” Ragni squealed excitedly.

* * *

 

After a long ride to the roof by elevator, the Avengers were now on their way to Paris. Fury was talking to Tony through a small screen that was installed inside the cockpit. Ragni couldn't hear what they were saying, but she knew Tony would fill them all in the moment he knew. She was absent-mindlessly playing with her fingers, staring down at the floor when she felt someone sit beside her. _Clint._

Ragni gave him a warm smile. “Well, hello there stranger.” She really did care for Clint. He was like a brother to her. If not for him, well, she'd be dead.

“Sorry about that. I've been busy,” he told her sadly.

So had she, with Loki.

“It's fine. I have a life too, you know.” Ragni joked, she understood.

“How are you, are you doing okay?”

“Yes, I'm fine.” she said a little too quickly.

“Are you sure?” Clint questioned, raising a brow. He wasn't sure if he believed her.

“I'm sure.” Ragni smiled. “Things are good.”

Clint gave her a small smile. “Did you still want to learn how to shoot a bow?”

Ragni's eyes lit up. “Of course!”

Clint gave her a gentle laugh. “Tomorrow then.”

_Tuesday again so soon._

“Tomorrow,” she agreed. For once she was excited about a Tuesday.

However, Ragni's excitement didn't last long as she watched Tony enter the area they were sitting, rubbing his temples. He was clearly stressed.

“Tony?” Bruce spoke up. “What is it? What's wrong?”

“Okay, so this is going to sound crazy, but...” Tony paused, let out a sigh, and crossed his arms. “Paris is being invaded by Pterodactyls.”

Crickets; complete and total silence.

Ragni busted out laughing. “You are joking, right?”

“I wish I was.”

“Um,” Thor began. “What exactly is this Pterodactyl, you speak of?”

Loki scoffed. “It's a dinosaur, you oaf. Have you even heard of a book?”

“Hey now, don't make fun of him.” Tony interjected, then looked back at Thor. “It's a flying reptile, looks like a giant bird thing, only with big sharp teeth. And yes, it eats meat.”

“That doesn't sound like much of a challenge.” Thor stated confidently.

“I wouldn't be so confident Thor.” Tony warned. “Apparently, they are tearing Paris apart and they are _big._ ”

“How many?” Steve asked.

“Not sure. At least a dozen, if not more.”

“Wonderful.” Natasha chimed in.

“Green guy is ready to play,” Bruce told Tony, he nodded.

“Yes! Target practice.” Clint said to no one in particular. Everyone glared at him. “What?”

* * *

So yeah, these were definitely _not_ Pterodactyls. They kind of were, but they were demonic looking and as big as a tractor trailer. They glowed of reddish orange, their teeth were huge, hanging over their mouths like a saber toothed tiger. The creatures also made a terrible screeching noise, or rather a scream, so loud it would cause everyone to cover their ears with their hands; anything to drown out the noise.

“What the fuck!” Ragni shouted, wide eyed and clearly terrified. “What the hell are these things?”

“I don't know, but I don't think Pterodactyls are supposed to look like that.” Clint responded, not as excited as he had been only a short time ago. Ragni saw him swallow nervously.

Actually, everyone seemed nervous now, including Thor.

Ragni was definitely nervous.

“No shit.” Ragni told him, holding back her own fears and smiled. Clint turned to look at her, instantly returning the smile.

“Alright everyone, remember, stay with your buddy. Do not, I repeat, do not get separated from your buddy.” Tony warned as he paced back in forth in his snazzy Iron Man suit. “I'd also recommend staying close to one another as well just in case.” Everyone nodded in understanding. “Okay, let's move out!”

* * *

Loki and Ragni fought side by side as the creatures dove towards them. The rest of the Avengers were within eye sight, everyone taking Tony's advice to stay close. Everyone was clearly on edge. She could see Hulk in the distance, appearing to be the only one not having any issues with these stupid things. Ragni hadn't noticed how large their talons were until she was up close and personal; the birds could easily pick her up, as well as Loki.

“Watch their talons!” Ragni shouted towards Loki, giving him a quick glance and he nodded.

Ragni was already exhausted, having to swing almost constantly to avoid their grab attempts. She got a moment to rest, but only a moment. Another bird, _once again_ , let out one of those torturous screams, making her ears want to bleed. She honestly couldn't say for sure whether they were or not at this point.

“Ahhh” Ragni screamed, attempting to hold her ears the best she could considering she was also holding a staff. “I wish these things would shut the FUCK UP!”

Ragni removed her hands and gritted her teeth. There was no possible way to block out the sound _and_ defend herself. She would just have to settle for being deaf. She swung, hitting another bird, causing it try cry out and tumble beside her. She took no chances as she repetitively drove her ax into its head. Its blood splattered all over her face and clothes, it smelled something awful, but she didn't care. She wanted the damn thing dead. Just as she looked back up she saw another bird on the back side of Loki. He didn't see it, he was too preoccupied with the two he was currently fighting off. It was gaining speed and heading straight towards him; the damn thing was going to get him.

_No!_

“Loki!!”


	9. The sacrifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The only way I know how to describe this; shit is hitting the fan.  
> :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for any errors. My editor is very busy. Once she proofs them, I will be going back to re-edit. Ch. 7 has already been fixed.  
> I just hate making you all wait. :)

“ _Loki!!”_

Ragni started to sprint. She really wasn't that far from Loki, but time seemed as if it was in slow motion; clearly seeing how grave of a situation he was about to be in Ragni began to panic. The worst part was, he wasn't even aware of it. Loki didn't respond to her screams, but how could he? He already had enough to deal with. Oh god, was she going to make it, could she make it to him in time?

Okay, she was going to make it, but what would she do once she got to him? There wasn't any time and she had a split second decision to make. With all her strength Ragni literally pushed Loki, throwing him out of the grasp of the bird. The only reason why he even went down was due to being caught off guard. Ragni attempted to swing her staff, but she didn't have enough time. She had already been snatched and let out a horrified scream.

* * *

Ragni found herself blinking rapidly, trying to collect her surroundings as she was flown through the air, wincing as the bird's talons dug into her side. It was flying higher and higher into the sky. Thankfully, she had not dropped her staff this time. She went to stab it, then froze. She couldn't do it now, since she would no doubt fall to her death. All she could do was wait. Wait for the stupid thing to land somewhere.

_God dammit._

It seemed like an eternity as she watched the city pass by her, far away from the Avengers, far away from Loki. _Loki._ He had to have heard or seen her be taken, he would tell Tony. Tony would come, or Thor.

Yes, Tony or Thor, one of them would come and she would be saved. They never came.

Ragni heard glass shatter and then landed on the hard concrete with a thud. Quickly, she turned towards the bird with her staff aimed and that's when her heart dropped. The bird had taken her to a nest. _Its nest._ How in the hell had it had time to even do this? That didn't matter. What mattered were the other seven large fucking birds now in front of her, as well as mommy dearest. They were smaller, but they were still the size of a small car. It didn't really give Ragni a lot of comfort.

“Shit. Shit, shit. Shit!” 

They let out that horrible scream, all at once. Ragni screamed and tried to cover her ears, but it was no use. She wouldn't doubt she would have some serious hearing issues after this; that is, if she survived.

She was in trouble. She knew she was in trouble. These things were hard enough to kill one at a time, how the hell was she suppose to take on eight of them at once. Alone. Completely and totally alone. Where the hell was she? She quickly looked around. She was up high, that she knew. On top of a building, then, but what building? Wait, it couldn't be.

_The Eiffel Tower?_

It looked like it from the pictures she'd seen, otherwise it was just a wild guess. Ragni had to make a decision and soon, the birds were gliding towards her now.

_Fight or Flight._

Ragni chose flight. There was no way she could possibly take on these things alone and survive, so she clicked the lever, retracting the blades, and slipped her staff into the compartment she had attached to her outfit and ran. She ran for her life.

* * *

*****Loki's POV*****

Loki was thrown to the ground and hard, almost kissing the dirt. He was pissed. _What the fucking Hel was that all about!_ Then panic flooded his chest and that's when he heard her scream.

_Ragni!_

“No!” Loki looked back just in time to see the bird flying off with her, high into the sky. Loki didn't have time to think. He got up and roundhouse kicked one of the birds he had been previously fighting, knocking it to the ground, ignored the other one, and ran. He had to keep up with her. There was no time to get anyone else. If he lost sight of her now, he'd never find her.

The bird was up so high, Loki had all but scaled a building and started parkouring, leaping across it to another building, down a staircase, left, right, up, down, left, right. He could still see them. _Damn, dead end._ Loki teleported over to another area and searched the sky. He spotted him and started running again. Where the Hel was it taking her? Why not just land and attempt to kill her?

Loki found himself having to use more and more magick, as he kept having to teleport. It took a lot out of him and before long he would be completely drained of it. There would be no time to wait for it to recharge, so he started watching when and how he used it. Loki only used it when _absolutely_ necessary. He was on top of a building, across from the Eiffel Tower, when he saw the bird crash inside, almost taking the entire viewing area with it. He was breathing heavily, he was tired, and worst of all he was scared. What? That can't be right.

Loki could see her now. Ragni was running.

“No.” Loki all but choked when he saw what she was running from. Seven smaller, but still very large birds were gaining on her, as well as the one that had taken her.

Loki had to get to her, he had too. Ragni had nowhere to go and had become so desperate she had climbed out onto the tower, out the hole the bird left, and started to try and climb down. If the birds didn't kill her, the fall surly would.

* * *

Ragni attempted to make a dash for the stairs, but one of the birds jumped in front of her, blocking her path. She ran around; the birds followed. They were so close to her now, she couldn't think. When she made it back to the opening she came through, she peeked out of it, finding a way to the rest of the structure, climbed out, and headed down.

“Ah!” Ragni screamed as one of the birds pecked at her fingers, almost losing her grip. She had to move faster.

Ragni was praying these things were stupid, but they weren't. Instead of falling to their death, they just landed on the beam she was climbing on and slowly started to walk across it, pecking at her. She moved to the left, anything to get her in the middle of the structure and away from these stupid birds. Maybe then, she'd stand a chance. Too bad she would never get it. The rest of the birds were following behind its sibling and the beam was bending, it jerked, causing her to lose her grip and she slipped.

Ragni closed her eyes, knowing this was it, she was done, but then she felt a hand grab her, just in fucking time too.

_Loki._

“Ragni, hold on!” Loki shouted, as she dangled dangerously in the air.

“Loki! Don't let me fall! Please! I don't wanna die like this!” Ragni cried. Oh god, she really didn't want to go out this way. Fighting yes, but this was pathetic.

“I won't let you die. Don't look down.” She totally looked down and began to panic more. “Didn't I just say not to look down!”

The birds were getting closer and now they had their eye on another meal. Loki. He kicked at them, knocking one off, and it let out a blood curdling scream as it fell. Ragni guessed they couldn't fly yet, that they were too young.

Loki was bleeding, he couldn't keep his grip, the stupid birds weren't backing down. Ragni didn't know what to do. If they stayed here like this, they would surely _both_ die. She didn't understand why Loki didn't just teleport them away, but if he hadn't done it yet, there had to have been a reason. Ragni closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, she spoke softly. 

“Loki.” Loki looked at her, and his eyes grew wide when he realized what she was implying.

“Don't you dare. You hear me, don't you fucking dare!” Loki warned.

“There is no point in both of us dying, Loki. Let me go, save yourself.”

“NO!” Loki's grip on her tightened, but Ragni knew she could easily slip out if she chose to. The grip Loki had on her was weak, barely hanging on to her, even now.

Ragni wasn't going to let him die for her. Hell no. She wiggled, careful not to pull Loki with her and attempted to get out of his hold.

“Ragni. Please. Don't.” Loki pleaded.

“I won't let you die for me.”

“That isn't your decision to make!”

“Then teleport us out of here!”

“I can't.” Loki choked. “My magick. I have to wait.”

Then it made sense, Loki was drained of his magick. He must have done so on his quest to find her, which only made Ragni feel more guilty.

“Then let me go,” she told him again, still as calm as the first time.

Loki only shook his head, still all the while, he's fighting off those stupid fucking birds. It was now or never. Ragni pulled out one of her daggers that she had attached to her suit, with her other free hand. “I'm so sorry, Loki.” Then she stabbed the hand that had a hold of her. Loki let out a shriek and he did exactly what she needed him to do.

Loki, let her go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I may have went a bit OFF cannon with Loki's magick. I'm not sure if it would really deplete and weaken the more he uses it, so let's just pretend it does.  
> And it doesn't really state how long it takes him to find her, so just keep in mind, he was constantly teleporting.  
> Um, yeah! :D
> 
> Also- I have NEVER been to Paris, or the Eiffel Tower, so my description is probably way the fuck off. LOL Hopefully, you get the idea though. :)


	10. I'm so sorry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ragni has just scarified herself for Loki's sake. Will she fall to her death, or will he find a way to save her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will warn you; if you think this Chapter is going to help calm your nerves, you are dead wrong.
> 
> Enjoy! ;D

Ragni closed her eyes as she felt the force of the wind, blowing her hair wildly. She'd lost her dagger, but why did that matter? Ragni was falling to certain death. Her heart was racing, but she refused to panic. Ragni was at peace. As long as Loki was alive, she had no problem dying. She just hoped he didn't blame himself. _It can't be long now,_ she thought, unsure of how long she had actually been falling. It was probably only seconds, but it felt like hours.

Ragni's eyes flew open, feeling the familiar embrace of the arms, she had grown so used to. _Loki._ He was here, now, holding onto her in a death grip so tight, she could barely breathe. But she didn't care she couldn't breathe; instead she returned the hold, wrapping her arms around him just as tight, and buried her face into the side of his neck. She could feel the tears streaming down her face. Why? Why had Loki jumped with her? Would the fall kill him too? He was a God, but this wasn't no ordinary fall.

Just as they were about to hit the ground Loki teleported, but it was sketchy. They landed only feet away from where they would have originally. Both of them lost their balance in the process, landing sideways, rolling and skidding across the hard pavement, leaving Ragni and Loki both bruised and bloody, but alive. _They were alive._ Maybe it was the fact Ragni had been so close to death, or maybe it was the fact Loki had basically just jumped to his death with her; whatever it was, it caused her to break down and cry harder than she'd ever cried before. Had Loki known he'd be able to teleport? Ragni doubted it. Loki chanced it, he had chanced it for her, but why?

* * *

*****Loki's POV*****

Loki cried out as the pain shot through his hand, and that's when Ragni fell. “NO!” Loki's heart dropped. He didn't care if it killed him, he had to save her. Loki would do _anything_ to save her. He took one last deep breath, prayed to whoever was listening that he could teleport one last time, and jumped.

Loki was still clinging onto Ragni when they hit the ground. As soon as they stopped moving, he pulled her against his chest tighter, holding her close as she cried. She was also complaining about not being able to breathe, but he couldn't really hear her. He just kept holding her, too terrified to let go of her again.

Why? Why had Ragni attempted to sacrifice herself for him? To only _possibly_ save him. Loki couldn't process it, he couldn't process anything. It was only when he heard the screams of the birds, who were still coming at them, that he snapped out of his daze, jerked Ragni up, and forced her to run.

* * *

Ragni couldn't breathe, Loki was crushing her in some sort of hug or hold. Her head was spinning and she was choking on her own tears. She looked up at Loki, who had a haunted expression on his face. What the hell was wrong with him; it was as if he wasn't even here. _Shit._ Then it hit her. _PTSD_. Loki had once done exactly what she had just done, only under completely different circumstances. It had probably brought back old memories he didn't need reminding of.

_Shit. I'm so sorry, Loki._

Damn. She was going to have to make up for that, but later, because now Ragni could see the birds heading towards them. _All_ of them; flying. Apparently the one Loki had kicked off _had_ just been stupid, but the rest were clearly not. Ragni started to scream for Loki, but he'd already snapped out of it, jerking her up and before she knew it they were running, or well, she was being dragged by Loki. She could barely keep up, almost tripping over her own two feet several times, but she couldn't allow herself to do so. If she did, it could be fatal for them both. She wasn't sure how long they had been running, but she could feel her legs aching, and her side hurt for more than one reason. Ragni was not sure how much longer she could keep this up.

* * *

*****Loki's POV*****

Loki, reluctantly let go of Ragni's hand, in hopes it would keep her from falling, but he hated it. He hated letting her go. Every few seconds, Loki would glance to the side to make sure Ragni was still there. He could tell she was getting tired, he knew she wouldn't be able to run much longer.

Loki went to give another glance towards Ragni, when he felt the heavy weight of one of the baby birds knocking him to the ground, pinning him down. Within seconds the rest was on him; pecking him, biting him, clawing him. Loki punched, slashed, and kicked, but they had thrown him off balance and where he was mostly pinned down, it made defending himself extremely difficult.

“Ragni, keep running!” Loki shouted, hoping she'd hear him and for once in her god damn life _listen._

But of course, she didn't.

* * *

Ragni saw Loki go down, the birds were all over him. She could see him struggling to fight, she heard him yell for her to run. _Run?_ Was he fucking serious!

_Run and leave the man who had come to her aid, the man who had saved her life once already, the man who jumped off the Eiffel Tower, just to maybe save her; the man she loved more than life itself?_

_Run. As fucking if._

Ragni pulled out her staff, hit the lever and ran in, stabbing and swinging at the birds; anything to get them off of Loki. He was able to get up, he pulled out another dagger, and they fought for their lives.

There had been only seven birds left and between the two of them, they were now down to four, one of which was mommy, and mommy was _not_ happy. Her babies were being slaughtered, but the dumb bitch should have thought of that before they attacked the man Ragni loved. Unfortunately, the adrenaline would only go so far. Ragni was exhausted, and she had passed exhausted a long fucking time ago. Her arms ached so badly she could barely swing.

How long had it been since she'd been taken. Twenty minutes? Thirty minutes? Ten minutes? An hour? Time was meaningless. Where the hell where the rest of the Avengers? Ragni realized they probably had no idea where they were. She wondered if they'd even noticed they were gone. Even if they noticed now, there was no guarantee they would be found in time. Finally, only the large bird was left, which for whatever reason, had flown off. _Thank the Gods._ By this time Ragni couldn't go on anymore and dropped to her knees, her staff lay beside her. Loki was also on the ground, just as exhausted. Ragni wondered if he was able to move because she couldn't.

Mamma bird suddenly came back into view and was now flying towards them, and she had found some friends; four more large birds now followed her, screaming. Ragni couldn't help but let out a crazed laugh. Could they not just get two fucking minutes to rest? Two minutes. That's all she was asking.

“Loki...” Ragni barely choked, almost driven mad by this point.

Loki crawled, yes, he had to fucking crawl, closer to Ragni and wrapped his arms around her, sitting next to her. She could have sworn she heard Loki choke out a sob when he saw the birds. He then took her chin in his hand and turned her head, so that she was now face to face with him. His eyes were bloodshot. Was Loki crying or was it from the battle? Ragni saw a tear, but Loki blinked and it was gone; she couldn't be sure if she imagined it or not.

“I'm so sorry,” he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. If Ragni hadn't been so close to Loki's face, she would have never heard him. “I refuse to leave you, Ragni. I will _not_ leave you, so please, do not ask that of me. I don't want the last thing you remember about me, to be disappointment.” 

Was Loki fucking serious? No, no fucking way. Ragni went to object, but Loki shh'ed her, with a finger to her lips.

“Please,” he mouthed, inaudibly.

Even if she had time to argue, she wouldn't have. Loki's facial expression was dead fucking serious, there was no changing his mind.

Ragni shook her head, unable to hold back her tears, stuttering as she spoke. “Never be sorry, L-Loki. You did everything, everything y-you could. I wouldn't want to die any other w-way. As long as I'm with you, I'm at peace with d-death.”

Loki didn't respond, instead he grabbed Ragni in another death grip, shaking violently. Ragni was just going to sit there and wait for the inevitable, and Loki was going to stay with her. _Loki was going to stay with her._ It was something she couldn't quite wrap her mind around, but it didn't matter now. There was no point to even waste her last moments trying to analyze it.

She was beyond done. Loki looked like death, and even if they _did_ try and fight, Ragni didn't see any other outcome. Apparently Loki didn't either, even going as far as pulling her down, lying her beside him, in the middle of the road. The birds had to have been only seconds away from them by now.

“Close your eyes, _Minn sva'ss_.” Loki spoke softly, stroking Ragni's cheek, as he wiped away her tears. “Don't cry, my sweet. I will find you, I will _always_ find you.”

Loki gently kissed her lips and whispered, “ _Ek elska pik,_ _Ragni_.”

Ragni had no fucking idea what Loki just said, but she didn't care. It meant something, she could see it on his face. She had to tell him, he had to know before it was all over.

“Loki, I lo-”

_**BOOM.** _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minn sva'ss= My beloved  
> Ek elska pik= I love you.  
> (Again, according to Google; I do not know Old Norse)
> 
> *Evil laughter*  
> Don't hate me...


	11. Repercussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Loki and Ragni make it?
> 
> I will let you all decide how to take this Chapter. ;D  
> Then, in a couple chapters, you can see if your suspicious were correct, or off. :) :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I ALMOST feel bad for torturing you all; almost...- so, get ready to fall off the cliff's edge. ;D

*****Tony's POV*****

Tony soared through the skies with Thor in search of Loki and Ragni. The rest of the team followed behind on the aircraft, except Hulk, who was on foot down below. Tony wasn't sure how long they'd been missing before he'd noticed. He felt so guilty, so incredibly fucking guilty. How had he not noticed? He had been the one to give the “stick close” speech, yet he wasn't even aware two of his teammates had vanished. If it hadn't been for JARVIS, (who Tony could communicate with through his suit) it would have taken hours to find them. It didn't take long for the AI to spot them.

“I have located them, Sir.” The AI spoke up, giving Tony the coordinates. 

“Sweet, they are just up ahead.” Tony motioned to Thor with a pointed finger and a nod, letting him know his brother was close by.

“Can you see them, JARVIS? Any camera's around?”

“Yes, Sir.”

There was a momentary pause.

“Sir...” The AI paused again. “You may want to get there quickly.”

“How bad is it, JARVIS?” Tony's stomach was in knots. It wasn't like JARVIS to suggest for him to hurry.

“From what I can see Sir, they appear to have given up.”

_WHAT?_

“What do you mean they have given up!” Tony was dumbstruck.

Loki, the _God of Mischief_ , aka, Reindeer games, and Ragni, had given up? What in the hell had happened to them? Tony couldn't even comprehend what they had to have been through to give up, or how badly they may be hurt.

“They are sitting down, holding one another. Sir, it does not look good. I can see five more Pterodactyls heading straight for them.”

Tony, threw his suit into overdrive, leaving Thor and the rest of the Avengers behind. He would make it, he had to make it.

“Sir,” the AI said once more, hesitantly.

“JARVIS.”

“You need to get there now.”

* * *

_“Close your eyes, Minn sva'ss.” Loki spoke softly, stroking Ragni's cheek, as he wiped away her tears. “Don't cry, my sweet. I will find you. I will always find you.”_

_Loki gently kissed her lips and whispered, “Ek elska pik, Ragni.”_

_Ragni had no fucking idea what Loki just said, but she didn't care. It meant something, she could see it on his face. She had to tell him, he had to know before it was all over._

“ _Loki, I lo-”_

_**BOOM.** _

Ragni let out a shriek when she heard the explosion. She felt Loki roll himself on top of her, in order to shield her from whatever the fuck was coming, but wait, what the hell just happened? Ragni lifted her head the best she could, and that's when she saw him.

 _Mother_. _Fucking. Iron Man._ It was Tony Stark.

* * *

*****Tony's POV*****

Tony almost crashed when he spotted them, but quickly regained his composer when he saw what was heading straight for them; literally, seconds away. Loki and Ragni were laying on the ground. There was _so much_ blood, they looked like shit, and the way they were holding one another confirmed Tony's suspicions he'd had all along. There was _no way_ Loki would would lay down like a dog unless he loved that girl. Loki knew he couldn't save Ragni, that was obvious from the gruesome scene, Tony was now witnessing, though he still couldn't help but wonder why Loki hadn't teleported them away by now.  
  
Tony didn't care for Loki, but at that moment, he had earned his respect, and even if Loki never admitted to it- Tony would know what he did for Ragni- or what he had been willing to do. Tony had to act and he had to act now.

_**BOOM.** _

Tony let off a series of rockets, hitting the birds, throwing them backwards, away from Loki and Ragni. Thor and Hulk were here now, and the aircraft. Tony let out a sigh of relief and happiness, and headed towards them, leaving Thor and Hulk to finish off what birds had survived his attack.

* * *

Ragni could see Tony flying towards them. She sighed a breath of relief and smiled. _They were alive, they were safe._ Ragni owed Tony a fruit basket, or a cake. _Yea, a cake._ Loki wasn't on top of her anymore. He had resorted back to lying next to her, still gripping her for dear life. His breathing was getting heavier and more rapid. It was almost as if he was beginning to panic.

Ragni's smile dropped and she was getting concerned now, something was seriously wrong. 

“Loki? Loki, are you okay?” Ragni shook Loki slightly, considering he had her pinned against him, she somehow managed.

Loki never answered her. Then, it became obvious- he was _not_ okay. Loki was freaking the fuck out now; was he having a panic attack? Yes, this was _definitely_ a panic attack. Why now and not just moments ago? Well, considering they were sporadic, and could wake a person up from a dead sleep, should have been enough to answer that question. Ragni knew about it all too well, unfortunately, having had over a dozen in the last three years herself.

“Loki, just breathe, okay, remember to breathe.” Ragni told him, trying to soothe him, forgetting her own issues. Loki was the only thing that mattered right now. She'd think about today's near death experiences, emphasis on the S, later.

What the fucking hell was going on? He had been so calm earlier when faced with death. This was _Loki._ Has it just now hit him what he'd agreed to do for her, to die with her? Was he regretting it, realizing he'd made a mistake? Was thankful to be alive, that she was alive? Did he even want to be alive? Scenario after scenario swam around in her head as she tried to calm Loki down, but nothing she did, or said was working.

Tony was beside them now, just as confused as she was, trying to help her pry Loki's death grip from her, which didn't happen until Clint _and_ Thor showed up to help. It ended up taking all three of them to get Loki to let go of Ragni, and into the aircraft. Ragni didn't know what the hell to think, she's pretty sure no one else did either.

* * *

**-Outside POV-**

No one said anything on the trip back to Stark Tower. However, Ragni did manage to remember to tell Tony about the nest she had been taken to, agents had been sent out all over Paris in search for more, but none was ever found. Paris had been torn apart; many buildings, including the Eiffel Tower had been damaged, lives had been lost, but the city was now safe, and it was all thanks to them.

_The Avengers._

It was quiet, too quiet. No one dare ask Loki or Ragni what happened to them, since it was obvious enough. They'd been through hell and back and had been prepared to die; together. Tony revealed the details to the Avengers, explaining what JARVIS had told him, and about what he'd witnessed himself; including his theory that they were involved, as well as swearing them all to secrecy about said topic, but not until he made sure Ragni and Loki were settled and couldn't overhear their conversations.

* * *

When Loki had finally settled down, Ragni sat beside him. Once again, he pulled her into his arms and held her close against him. He was calm now, but his haunted expression worried her, and he never said a word the entire ride home. Loki only stared off into space, or at the floor, she really wasn't sure.

Everyone just stared at them with either a concerned, or forced blank expression. Ragni knew they knew something. What that something was, she couldn't know for sure. Honestly, she didn't fucking care. Today had been hell. Ragni wanted to go home, make sure Loki was okay, shower, and sleep for a fucking week. She _dared_ any of them to say a fucking word to her right now regarding Loki.

Ragni had had enough shit today, she'd probably end up murdering them all, and she really didn't want to do that. She was way too sore and exhausted to deal with that shit right now. She was also a hundred and ten percent positive, Loki didn't want to deal with it either. What had happened back there between them? What did the last thing Loki say to her mean? It all happened so fast, Ragni couldn't remember the exact words and being in another language, she assumed Old Norse, did not help the matter any. She cursed herself for not being able to remember something that god damn important. She would ask him about it, but not today, probably not tomorrow either. Ragni still spent the entire ride home, going over and over in her head what had happened, trying desperately to remember the exact words Loki had said to her. It felt way to important for her to ignore. 

* * *

Tony, of course, sent them both straight to the medical wing the moment they set foot on the property. Loki didn't protest, in fact, he continued to remain mute and zombie-like. It surprised Ragni (and everyone else) when Loki lets go of her this time without putting up much of a fight. It was a weird sensation for Ragni to see Loki like that, she wasn't even sure what the word would be to describe how he looked. _Numb maybe?_ She wasn't even sure how _she_ felt at the moment, much less how he was feeling.

Loki's face remained pretty much expressionless throughout the entire medical exam, still never speaking a word. They were both banged up pretty bad, but they would live. Loki would heal and Ragni had no _major_ damage, although she was partially deaf now in her left ear, but she could live with that. It was also recommended that they both take a month long break; 'for your physical and _mental_ health', is how the Doctor put it. Mental health meaning; _'Loki is going crazy, again.'_ His episode had been reported to the Doctor the moment they walked in by Tony. Ragni also had a feeling they would be keeping an eye on Loki, at least for a while. She defended him, explaining her own panic attacks, that it was to be expected considering what they had gone through, and that even the bravest and strongest warriors can break down. Ragni also proceeded to comment on Tony's PTSD, and to 'stop judging Loki.' Although, Tony never would admit he was doing it, stating it was only protocol. 

“Ragni, I'm NOT judging Loki, I swear it!” Tony pleaded.

“ _Bullshit_! I'm not stupid, Tony!” Ragni growled.

“Ragni, you saw what happened back there. That is not something we can just ignore. I'm _not_ trying to be mean! Please, believe me when I say that!”

“NO! I don't fucking _believe you_. I know exactly how you feel about him!”  
  
The arguing went on for a while. If Loki was affected by their comments, he didn't show it. Ragni wondered if Loki was even in the world right now, or off somewhere, lost in his own haunted thoughts. Loki and Thor may have been Gods, but they still had emotions that resembled her own. They felt just as much as any mortal, if not more. Ragni didn't doubt they were capable of feeling more, being Gods and all. It would make the most sense, or maybe she was wrong, maybe they _didn't_ feel as much as she did. Either way, they still had feelings, this she knew for sure.

Ragni looked at Thor and saw him watching Loki with a worried expression on his face, holding his arms, and absent-mindlessly twiddling his fingers. Ragni couldn't help but wonder what Thor was thinking, but she knew one thing; Thor was sincerely worried about his brother right now. He hadn't left Loki's side since they'd gotten off the aircraft, and it didn't look like he was going anywhere, not without a fight, or an explanation at least. That, Ragni was sure of too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you all happy now, to have hit the bottom? xD
> 
> Next Chapter will reveal the conversation between Tony & the Avengers in Paris. :) :)  
> You might just learn something new. ;)


	12. Realizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A conversation between the Avengers in Paris.

**-Back in Paris-**

*****Various POV'S*****

“Tony, what is this about?” Natasha questioned as she walked outside, leaving the aircraft to join the others.

“Shh. I don't want them to hear anything.” Tony warned.

“Why?” Steve was clearly confused.

“Just hold on. Wait until everyone gets out here.” Tony was getting antsy.

When everyone had finally joined him outside, Tony made sure they would not be overheard by Ragni or Loki before beginning. “Okay, so there is a reason why I called you all out here.”

“We get that, get on with it Tony.” Clint was restless. “Is Ragni okay? What happened to her out there? What the hell is going on!”

“She's fine, all things considering. All I know is what JARVIS told me and what I witnessed.” Tony proceeded to tell the Avengers about what JARVIS had told him, why he'd left them behind, and how he had found Loki and Ragni when he'd arrived.

“I think, I think Loki loves her.” Tony bit his lip, unsure how the rest of them was going to react. “I also think they are together. I believe she loves him too.”

“ _Loki and Ragni_.” Natasha said the sentence very slowly, blinking half way through, as if processing the information.

“No. You must be mistaken, he's a killer. There is no way she would associate herself with the likes of him,” she scoffed.

“My brother is _not_ a killer. I would advise you to use a better choice of words, _Assassin._ ” Thor spat, the warning loud and clear in his tone. “Loki had no choice in the New York attack, you know this!”

“What about his latest stunt?” Natasha mocked, crossing her arms. “Taking over the throne in Asgard. Isn't that why he's here!”

“Tasha!” Bruce scolded, insinuating for her to keep quiet.

“That is none of your concern! He killed no one, and you do not know Loki's reasonings!” Thor growled.

“That's enough!” Tony shouted.

“Hold on...” Clint interjected, holding up a hand and suddenly feeling sick to his stomach. He couldn't believe what he had just heard, not even hearing the drama around him. He was too focused on the words; _Loki, Ragni, love, and waiting to die._

“So, when you found them, they had just been laying there, just waiting...to die?! If Loki loves her so goddamn much, why didn't he just teleport her out of there? I thought he could do that shit!”

“It's not that simple, Clint.” Tony explained, taking a deep breath before continuing.“Loki was perfectly capable of getting away _if_ he had wanted to, but Ragni was done. He didn't have enough magick to teleport them both. I asked her the same damn question when Loki was being dragged onto the aircraft. She told me he'd depleted all his magick to find her, and that he had stayed with her, but that's all she would tell me. I dropped the subject, she was more concerned with Loki at the time.

The rest is what I have put together myself from observation. Today only confirmed it, I believe. I've noticed little things long before this. Also, if I didn't know any better, I would swear I saw Loki kiss her back there, but I was a good distance away, so I cannot be sure.

There was also the factor that their deaths were just moments away, so I didn't really get a chance to _spy_ on them. Next time, I'll ask the threat to give us a moment.” Tony deadpanned, when Clint gave him a glare at his- _I cannot be sure-_ remark. 

Clint let out a defeated sigh and groaned. “So is that why Loki had a death grip on her, his panic attack? Because she almost died? Because, because he loves Ragni?” _Could Loki really love Ragni?_ Clint could barely even think about the thought of those two together. _God, Ragni. Why him, why Loki?_

“Honestly, I don't know. It could have been for a number of reasons.” Tony knew about PTSD all too well. He could honestly say he was worried about Reindeer games. Something had obviously set him off, but what exactly?

“Like regret.” Natasha snorted. “I don't believe this bullshit for a minute. Loki is using her, why can't you people see that!”

“ENOUGH!” Thor was furious now, as well as tempted to use Mjolnir to throw Natasha clear across Paris.

“Calm down, Thor. I got this.” Tony stated calmly.“Listen, I want to keep an eye on Loki though, _just_ in case. I don't want him to be a danger to anyone.” Tony glared at Natasha, who was giving off a smirk. “ _Or a danger to himself_ ,” he growled. “You, little Missy, need to shut your mouth. I'm done with your remarks. I get it, you hate him, now move the fuck on.” 

“But why _love,_ per say?” Steve questioned, ignoring the sudden outbursts, feeling extremely awkward. 

“Why else would he just stay there? It has to be love. This is _Loki_ we are talking about. I'm sure if it was one of us- excluding Thor- or Mrs. Smart mouth over here...” Tony glared at Natasha again. “His ass would have been gone before you could say Snapple.” Tony didn't blame Loki, they did treat him like shit.

“Tony isn't wrong.” Thor added without thinking.

Natasha didn't hold back a snarky laugh; Tony glared daggers at her.

“ _Not that part._ ” Thor growled. “If you recall, Loki has saved all your sorry asses more than once. So don't judge my _brother_ so quickly.” No one argued about that; Natasha's face even turned red. 

“What I mean is, Loki saved Jane and I during our battle with Malekith. He almost died for her. Hel, I was lead to believe he _had_ died for me, but I believe Tony is right, that there is more to this than what we know.”

The sudden hysterical laughter from Bruce caused everyone to stare at him. “I knew it, I fucking _knew_ it!” Now he was getting awkward glares.

“Language.” Steve whispered, but no one heard him over Bruce's laughter.

“Um...” Tony questioned, but Bruce interjected him.

“Last week,” he cleared his throat, regaining his composure before continuing. “I just remembered! I walked into the lab and I saw them together, but I didn't _see_ them.” Now the glares had turned to confusion.

“Um...?”

Bruce continued quickly. “They jumped back, as if I were about to catch them doing something they shouldn't have been.

At the time, I thought they were definitely up to _something_ , but that....” Bruce could not help but laugh again, shaking his head. “And this morning, she was so defensive of him. Now, it all makes sense.”

“My brother, in love!” Thor was ecstatic at the idea.

“Hold your horses there, Blondie. Is that really a good idea, the two of them, together?” Tony questioned. He knew about Ragni's background, and it wasn't exactly a fairy tale.

“No!” Clint replied for him. “Ragni is easily influenced. With her past, this is a fucking _terrible_ idea, a fucking _horrible_ idea.” Clint was rubbing his hands over his face and hair. _Ragni, what the hell are you doing!_

“Language, guys.” Steve repeated, having nothing else to add at the moment.

“My brother is not as bad as you all claim him to be!” Thor felt defeated, but he wouldn't give up on defending his brother. Loki made bad choices, it didn't make him a bad person.

“I know, Goldie Locks.” Tony sympathized. “Honestly, it's not just Loki we are worried about. Ragni has been through hell and back. We were lucky to get her on our side at all. She was a forced to be reckoned with. I'll tell you about it sometime.”

“How long do you think?” Steve was trying to ignore the personal information floating around, thinking back on the times he saw Loki and Ragni together. “How long do you think they have been together?”

“My guess would be months.” Bruce responded. “When did Fury assign them together? That is when they started talking, I noticed. Ragni avoided Loki up until that point.”

“Six months ago, give or take a week or two.” Tony replied. “Something like that, at least.”

“That must have been when it started.” Bruce concluded. “Six months is plenty of time to fall in love with someone. Well, depending on the circumstances, some people fall in love instantly.” Bruce looked towards Natasha, who was now smiling and turning red for another reason.

“This is such a bad idea.” Clint couldn't hear this, he wasn't listening. “I cannot hear this right now. She's like my sister, Tony! The thought of Loki-”

“Clint.” Tony interrupted. “The only reason why Ragni is alive right now is _because_ of Loki, and me too of course,” he added smugly. “Still yet, give him the credit he is due.” Tony couldn't believe he was even saying that out loud. “Keep your trap shut, I mean it.”

“Fine, but I still hate this.”

How in the hell was he supposed to keep his mouth shut? He wanted to strangle them both. Clint may have also slightly exaggerated on the- _she's like my sister-_ part. The truth was, he was _in love_ with Ragni, he had just never openly admitted it out loud. He'd been afraid to open his heart again; since his last marriage had been a disaster. Now he finds out she's possibly in love with _Loki!_ That was a kick in his gut.

“Well, listen, no one can breathe a word of this. _No one_.” Tony warned. “I mean it. Let's see how this plays out. I could very well be wrong.” 

“I doubt it.” Bruce added. “It's obvious now that you've stated it out loud.”

“Still, I want to be sure.”

Reluctantly, everyone finally agreed to keep their mouth shut, including Clint and Thor. (One wanted to shout it to the Norns, the other wanted to kill them.) They headed back into the aircraft silently and headed home, and as much as they all wanted to question Loki and Ragni, they held back.

For how long, however, none of them were too sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanna give a shout out to Lokis-witchy-moon-kitten, who figured out the whole Clint thing, back in chapter 8. Funny thing is, it wasn't until THIS chapter, that I decided to go that direction. lolol So, she knew before I was even aware at one point. xD


	13. I do regret having to do this to you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki takes a trip.

 

 

**-Back to the Present-**

Ragni slept on and off for four days, only remembering seeing Loki once in that time period. He came to check on her, asked her if she was okay, then abruptly teleported off. Loki had seemed so cold towards her. His voice even sounded harsh and distant; not the sweet, soothing voice she had grown used to, unless they were having sex of course. Ragni made it a point to misbehave from time to time, strictly for the sex afterwards.

_“Are you well?” Loki was suddenly standing by the side of Ragni's bed, in the dark, like a creepy stalker; except he was far from a creepy stalker._

“ _Loki?” Ragni opened her eyes, still heavy with sleep.“Loki, are you really here?”_

_Loki sighed, growing impatient.“I repeat myself. Are. You. Well?”_

“ _Um, yes. I'm fine, but-”_

_Loki cut her off. “Then I require nothing else of you.” Loki's tone turned dark and solemn.“Get well soon. I do regret having to do this to you.” It was almost as if Loki was going to say more, but stopped._

_After a moment of silence, Loki spoke again._ _“I bid you, farewell. Take care, Ragni.”_

Then just like that Loki was gone, but Ragni had still been too weak and exhausted. She quickly drifted back off to sleep not giving it another thought, deciding it had all been a dream.

* * *

On the fifth day, Ragni finally emerged from her room to seek out Loki. She really needed to talk to him. She had to know what the fucking fuck happened between them; it was eating at her. She knocked on his door, but there was no answer. She pulled a bobby pin from her hair, intending to break in, when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

“Loki is not in there.” Thor told her sadly. “He's in Alfheim. He claimed he was going to see an old friend, since he was not needed here.”

 _Ouch._ An old friend? What kind of an old friend? That was a kick in the gut, as well as the heart. “Oh.” Ragni turned to face him, unable to manage any other words. She was doing everything she could not to break down and cry in front of Thor.

“When will Loki be back?” She finally managed.

“I suppose, at the end of the month? I am really not certain,” he admitted. “Loki never stated when, or if he was to return.”

“Oh.” There were those intelligent sentences again.

“I see you are feeling better, you look much better, the bruises are barely visible now I see.” Thor said in a rush, she supposed in an attempt to make up for the ' _more information than she needed to hear',_ but it didn't help. In fact, it only made it worse.

She nodded, tears still threatening to escape her eyes. “Yes,” she choked and her lip quivered, almost losing the battle right there. “Excuse me.” Ragni ran back to her room, slammed the door and fell to her knees, crying harder than she had cried in Paris. Loki was gone, and she didn't even know if he was ever coming back. 

Ragni almost screamed when it finally hit her; her dream hadn't been a dream at all. Loki was telling her goodbye. _He_ _really had_ _left her_ _._ _  
_

* * *

*****Loki's POV***  
** **I also added a little extra POV in there as well.**

When Loki arrived in Alfheim, he immediately sought her out; _Astrid_. She had been his childhood friend for centuries, and she was one of the few people who hadn't shunned him away after everything he had done. Astrid was a true friend to him; the only real friend he really had. She wouldn't be expecting him, but he didn't care. She had some explaining to do and Loki wasn't in the mood for her games. Astrid jumped when Loki barged in, but she quickly relaxed and rolled her eyes.

“Norns Loki, learn to fucking knock for once!” Astrid smiled. She was an incredibly beautiful elf, with long blonde hair and blue eyes that were so bright, they almost didn't seem real. She was also an amazing enchantress. There was a reason why she was Loki's best friend. “I could be naked for all you know.”

“You act as if I have never seen you exposed before.” Loki teased, unable to stay mad at her for very long.

Astrid was a smart ass, but Loki loved her smart ass, no pun intended.

“Oh, shut up! You make it sound all sexy. It was _far_ from sexy, from what I recall.” Astrid laughed, remembering the time they sneaked off for a swim when they were children- in the wrong river.

What Midgardians would call leaches, they called swarmers. Same concept, only deadlier and they were true to their name. Both of them ended up having to strip naked, as well as remove the swarmers from each others naked bodies in order to save one another from further poison contact, and then walk home that way. They had gotten into _serious_ trouble that day. Odin and Frigga had been less than pleased. 

Otherwise, their relationship had always been strictly platonic, neither of them had ever felt a romantic pull.

“So, why are you really here? I know it's not to talk about old times.” Astrid's tone had grown serious now. “What is it, Loki? You have that serious brooding look,” she mocked him, making a face. Loki chose to ignore it.

“That spell you told me about a century ago. The one you used on Jaydun-” Loki began, but was quickly cut off.

“For the love of Norns Loki, please! Please do not fucking tell me you used that spell on someone!” Loki's face dropping indicated otherwise. “Oh my gods, Loki, you didn't?!” Astrid's voice was full of panic.

“Astrid, darling, I do not see what all the fuss is about.” Loki stated casually, in an attempt to hide the panic he _now_ felt.

“You specifically told me it was created, intended to feel a person's fear, which I realized after some time I feel quite literally!” Loki growled.

“Well, what the hel else did you expect! A buzzer?”

Loki rolled his eyes. “How do I reverse it? I need it gone. I admit, I did it rather impulsively.” Loki still wasn't sure why he'd done that spell on Ragni that day in the library. It wasn't in his character to be that impulsive.

“Well, that depends.” Astrid mused.

“On what?” Loki was pacing back and forth now. _Just get on with it woman!_

“The person you used it on. Is it a romantic interest?”

“No.” Loki lied.

“That would be a yes.” Astrid half laughed.

“Seriously, Astrid!” Loki stopped dead in his tracks and faced her, raising both his arms in defeat. _How! How in the Norns could she always tell!_

“Do you know how long we have known each other Loki; almost 900 years, that's how long. I can practically hear your thoughts.” Astrid rolled her eyes.

“Now shut the hel up and answer my damn questions, _truthfully,_ ” she demanded, crossing her arms and raising a brow. “Does this person love you?”

“How in the Norns am I suppose to know that!”

“Wait, you mean you haven't...nevermind. Next question, do _you_ love this person?”

“ _Her_ name is Ragni.” Loki growled, avoiding the question.

“A woman!” The excitement was clear in Astrid's voice. “It's been a minute since you've been with a woman, or well even a man for that matter, come to think of it. Good for you, Loki. Maybe you will even consider having children now. I always did say you were great with kids.” Loki grit his teeth, pretending she _did not_ just say that; _again_.

“Don't avoid the question then.” Astrid smirked. “I repeat, do you love _her_? Do you love this girl, this Ragni?

“No.” Loki lied again, knowing it was useless.

“Oh my fucking gods, Loki! You _do_ love her!” Astrid exclaimed, jumping up and down, temporarily forgetting Loki's current dilemma. She couldn't help but be ecstatic.

“I cannot wait to meet his girl! This Ragni, who stole your heart! It's about fucking time, Loki!” she squealed, still jumping the entire time, as well as answering her own questions as she rambled about. “Is she really pretty? Of course she's really pretty. Is she smart? Of course she's smart- you're Loki. Is she like me? Of course she's like me, she'd have to be to deal with your ass. Is she a warri-

“Astrid!” Loki grabbed her shoulders, holding her still, clearly irritated, but more embarrassed than anything. Astrid knew him way too well. It was almost eerie, even now. She still knew exactly who he was, though he had changed so much. “I do not lov-”

“You do too!”

“I do not!” Loki continued to argue.

“You do! Now stop denying it because I hate to break it to you...” Astrid bit her lip and gave Loki a ' _please don't kill me'_ , look. “I, uh, didn't tell you the entirety of the spell,” she admitted. Loki's eyes widened, but she cut him off again before he could speak. “Hey! Do not fucking blame me! I told you that spell out of confidence. I didn't actually expect you to go and use it on someone without knowing all the details!”

“Why! Why would you withhold information from me like that, and regarding a spell of all things!” Loki was enraged, having to clench his fists together to keep from hitting a wall. What in Norns name had he done? “She's a mortal, Astrid! Do you have any idea what that means! Explain yourself, right now. All of it!”

“ _Mortal_?” If the color hadn't completely drained from her face, she would be surprised. “You, uh, you may want to sit down.” Astrid gave the most innocent smile she could, but she knew she was fucked.

Loki was definitely going to kill her. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I don't know what swarmers are. I made that up, just fyi. lol
> 
> If you don't remember said spell, refer back to chapter 5.


	14. Spell Bound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki is still in Alfheim and demands Astrid explain the spell in detail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I love you people too much and I only currently have 16 chapters written, and now I have 14 posted....so, I'm working on this, trying to stay ahead so I can post as often as I can. But-if things start to slow down a little, I'm sorry ahead of time. I will do my best to avoid that!

 

  *****Loki's POV*****

****_**(** _ **I threw in a tiny bit of Astrid's as well, again.)**

Loki and Astrid were now sitting on the couch and she fidgeted in her seat as Loki stared her down, awaiting an explanation. “I'm still waiting. Start talking, Astrid.” Loki told her impatiently, tapping his fingers against the back of her couch.

“Okay, so you know how I told you that the spell was nothing but a protection spell, or rather a spell that allows you to feel if another person is in danger, or afraid?” Loki nodded. “Well, here's the thing I didn't mention. It's nothing really...” Astrid implied, giggling nervously.

“Spit. It. Out.” Loki demanded. “Stop stalling.”

“So, it starts out like I told you, but, um...” Astrid bit her lip. “It's a bond.” she murmured.

 _What?_ He had to have misheard that. Loki just stared at Astrid, in complete and utter disbelief. “What?” What was he hearing, what was she saying? Loki was thankful he was sitting down on her couch. He didn't trust his jello legs at the moment to keep him standing. “Repeat yourself!”

“I said it's a bond Loki,” she told him louder this time.

Loki's eyes grew wide with horror. “You're lying.” He tested her. _Please be a joke, a cruel joke._

“I'm not. That's one of the reasons why you're here isn't it?” Astrid questioned. “You feel it. You feel her. Don't you, Loki?” Loki shook his head, but Astrid wasn't buying it. “Bullshit. Fun fact, her fear isn't the only thing you will be feeling before too long, if you aren't already.” Loki gasped. “Oh yes. You will soon feel everything she feels; _everything.”_ Loki stood up and stumbled backwards, but he didn't lose his balance; Astrid rose with him. “Loki, it's okay, calm down.” she spoke softly, in an effort to soothe him. “I'll explain it all, just don't freak out yet.”

Loki couldn't hear this. His whole intention for coming here in the first place was to escape Ragni and his feelings for her. He not only admitted it to himself, but to her as well. Even if it was in Old Norse, Ragni was not a stupid girl, she would figure it out before too long. “Astrid, tell me how to reverse it. That's all I'm concerned about.” Loki pleaded, but the look on her face made his heart drop.

“I'm sorry, Loki. If you love her, as you say you do, it cannot be undone.” Astrid sympathized. “It's already too late.”

Loki shook his head. No, no, she cannot be serious. Loki walked backwards until his back hit a wall and he allowed his legs to give out, sliding down into the floor. He ran his hands through his hair as he tried to collect himself. What in Norns name had he done?

“Loki.” Astrid sat in front of him, with her knees bent underneath her. “Loki, listen to me. I'm sorry. I didn't know you would go and use that spell.”

“Why? Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because I screwed up. I hadn't meant to cast a bond spell, but I was younger then, and didn't know what I was doing like I do now. I didn't want to admit it to you; I was too proud.

I also didn't want you to give me that look.” Loki narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips together. “That look, right there!” Astrid pointed out. “The look of utter disappointment. I fucking hate it when you look at me like that, Loki.”

Loki dropped the look altogether, deciding to ask the hard questions. “Astrid, what does this mean exactly? What have I done?” How could he have been so reckless and impulsive?

“Well, what I told you earlier, you will feel all her emotions. The upside to that is you'll know how to handle her moods.” Astrid smiled cheekily, but Loki wasn't amused. “You'll also be able to tell when she's lying.”

“As if the God of Lies cannot do that already?” Loki deadpanned. “And she's a terrible liar,” he added. _Cute liar, but terrible._ Astrid held back a smile. “What else?”

“There is also the dream sharing. You will be able to see her dreams.”

Loki groaned. “Is that all?” _Please, let that be all._

“Well, that depends.” Astrid bit her lip again, and Loki urged her to continue. “As long as she isn't your soul mate or anything, you have nothing else to worry about,” she stated casually and Loki's mouth dropped open; he felt sick. “Look, the chances of that are seriously impossible, okay? So, don't freak.”

“What happens then?” Loki couldn't help but ask, even though he really didn't want to know. How would he know if she was, how could he tell?

“If she isn't, then the bond is one-sided, like Jaydun and I.” Astrid said sadly. “There is a reason why we are no longer together, Loki.”

“You told me-”

“I lied,” she admitted. “I left him, not the other way around. He didn't love me. Want to know how I knew that? Because I could feel him, or rather, I couldn't. I never could feel any type of love for me. He cared, but he didn't love me. Not like he did her.” Loki swallowed. “That's how I knew. Jaydun met his wife.” Astrid was trying to stay strong, but Loki could see the tears swelling in her eyes. “I still feel him, even now. The spell is irreversible.”

Loki shook his head. This couldn't be real. “Didn't he feel guilty at all, for-”

“I never told him Loki.” Loki gasped at her confession. “I wasn't going to do that to him, or to myself. I wasn't going to have him stay out of guilt. That isn't love,” she reasoned. “I wanted him to be happy. He wasn't happy with me.”

Loki nodded and decided to move on. “And if she is, my soulmate?” _Could she be?_

“Then the bond works both ways. Ragni will be able to feel you also, as well as share your dreams. As of, what else, I do not know.”

Loki's mouth watered and he could feel the nausea taking over. “I think, I think I might be sick.” He was sweating now and he felt the color drain from his face. He lifted his hands and inspected them; they were clammy. _Don't throw up. You're fine, everything will be fine._

“If need be, I'll go back and find the spell and check; that is, if I need to. Though, I don't think I will. I read the soul bond is so rare, its very existence is questioned, so I think you are in the clear. Loki, I truly am sorry about all of this.” Astrid paused briefly, inspecting Loki's current state. “Um, the bathroom is down the hall, first door on the right, just for the record.”

“Yes, I remember.” Loki confirmed, still on the verge of vomiting.

“You are pale as a motherfuc-”

“I'm well aware.” Loki quickly interjected. “Is there any other way, that I can tell?”

“If she's your soulmate?” Loki nodded. “Perhaps. Why did you do the spell?” Loki just shrugged his shoulders. “Come on, Loki. Did you lo-”

“I did not _love_ Ragni when I impulsively spelled her.” Loki interrupted before she could continue. “I was bedding her at the time, but-”

“Then why else would you do so? You're not impulsive, Loki.” Astrid held up her index finger, as if she had suddenly remembered something. “Correction, you _are_ impulsive when you aren't thinking clearly. Obviously, this girl does _something_ to you, if you cannot think clearly in her presence.”

Loki glared daggers at her.

“You know I'm right, so stop that shit right now. I realize you were unaware of all of this information when you cast it, but there has to be a _reason_ why you suddenly felt the urge to want to _spell_ her at the time. You felt the need to protect her Loki, so there is a reason.” Astrid pointed out. “Everything you do, whether it be good or bad, has a purpose. There is always a method to your madness.”

Loki sat silently. What was the reason? “I don't know.”

“You seriously don't know? How long had you been bedding her before you cast it?”

“Twice.” Loki whispered.

“What?”

“Twice. Okay, I'd slept with her twice.” Loki paused. “Multiple times, but only on two separate occasions,” he corrected.

“Wait, only twice? Are you serious?” Astrid couldn't believe it. “Surely you must have been close to her as a friend before bedding her?”

Loki shook his head, “Not really.”

Astrid's mouth flew open. Well, that was something she hadn't expected. “Okay then, what were you two doing when you spelled her?”

“I held a dagger to her throat, spelled her, then proceeded to fuck her on a table...” he admitted too quickly.

“Wait, you had a dagger, to her throat?” Astrid exclaimed, ignoring the table comment. _What the fucking..._

“I was merely trying to frighten her.” Loki explained. “She just stood there, declaring she trusted me. It, surprised me.”

“How did the dagger come to be placed on her throat to begin with?”

“She shouted at me.” Loki admitted. “I didn't like her tone, so-”

“So you threatened her? What a lady killer you are, pun not intended.” Astrid mocked. “I respect the fact she had the lady balls to yell at you. I like her that much more now,” she smirked. “Even more so, that she didn't give in to your threats.”

“She's not very bright.” _or she's very brave..._

“Had it ever crossed your mind, that maybe she knew you wouldn't really hurt her? Even if she didn't, she sounds like a strong girl. Still yet, if she's with you...” Astrid laughed, but Loki didn't join her amusement. “Anyway, we got off track. Other than what I told you, I really don't know what to tell you unless you give me a reason.” Astrid paused. “Do you feel her yet? Her emotions?”

“I am not sure.” Loki stated honestly. “I don't know what I'm feeling.”

“What happened?”

“I left her.” Loki said blankly.

“What?” Astrid exclaimed. “Why? Why would you do that?”

“She deserves better than me. I treat her as if she were a whore.” Loki's tone had turned solemn.

“Explain.” Astrid growled.

“I arranged for us to be together, only on weekends. At first, it was every other weekend, but I altered the deal.”

“You are something else, you know that! How could you do that?” Astrid scolded. “Poor girl. She must _really_ love you to put up with that bullshit. I would have whooped your ass. I still might!” she threatened.

“You act as if you are certain of that.” Loki growled, ignoring her threat.

“Loki.” Astrid narrowed her eyes at him. “She'd have to be to agree to that. Unless, she really _is_ a whore.”

“Ragni is no whore!” Loki shouted.

“Then she loves you.” Astrid reassured him. “Believe me, no girl would put up with that, otherwise,” she paused, studying him. “Why did you really run away?”

“I didn't-”

“Do not lie to me. Why did you really run away?” Astrid repeated. “What is the real reason?”

Loki sighed heavily.“I thought we were meeting our death, so I told her I loved her. In Old Norse.” he added.

“Wait, so she has no idea what you even said to her?”

“As of yet, no.”

Astrid just shook her head. Norns. “Loki. What the hel am I going to do with you?”


	15. Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ragni is having a hard time, and Astrid tells Loki how she really feels...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I ended up writing two, yes two, chapters last night.  
> I figured I would bless you all with an Easter gift! <3

The past couple of weeks had been a blur for Ragni. Loki was still gone and everyone was acting really weird around her. She either got sympathetic looks or disappointed ones, all depending on who was looking at her. Ragni chose to ignore it. She was too numb to care, as well as exhausted. Ragni knew they had to have suspected her and Loki was somehow involved. She could hear them whispering as she walked by them and almost wondered what they were saying, or thinking at this point. Probably feeling sorry for her in an ' _I told you so'_ , kind of way. What else had she expected getting involved with Loki. Ragni had cried so much, she was sure she would never be able to cry again; she was all cried out.

Thor and Clint had taken it upon themselves to check on her at an annoying level. The last time Thor had stopped by, Ragni had ended up throwing her lamp at him, or well, at the door. Thor had reacted quickly and had shut it just in time. Since then, both of them had kept their distance for the most part. Ragni didn't want to be bothered. She just wanted to use the last two weeks she had left to grieve and get over Loki, before going back to work. Ragni knew the chances of Loki coming back were slim to none. The more she thought about her so called “ _dream”,_ the more she realized that. She hadn't allowed herself to think about Paris. The thought of Loki's sweet words was too painful to bear. Ragni wondered why Loki hadn't just let her fall to her death. It couldn't have been any worse than the pain she was dealing with now. Although, she had a strange feeling this was just the beginning.

* * *

*****Loki's POV*** (Astrid's added in)**

The past few weeks had been absolute hell for Loki. The spell had kicked in tenfold, and he was feeling Ragni on a whole new level. Loki and Astrid were sitting at her kitchen table, trying to plan his next move.

“How bad is it now?” Astrid questioned, for the millionth time.

“The same, as I told you an hour ago. Although, there only only spurts of extreme and utter despair now.” Loki deadpanned, feeling extremely irritated; as well as depressed, heartbroken, and angry. The mix of emotions was almost a bit too much for Loki to handle, already having to deal with his own and now Ragni's, feeling everything twice as much as he normally would have. _Would this ever get any easier?_

“Maybe, if someone hadn't just took off, like a _coward_.” Astrid muttered under her breathe. “Then she wouldn't be so damn emotional.”

“I heard you.” Loki growled.

“I'm very much aware. It was my intention.” Astrid calmly stated, flipping through a book. “You're still a coward.”

“I told her I was leaving!” he insisted.

“Yeah, when she was half dead you asshole.” Astrid scolded. “She probably didn't even process it until later.” Loki went to speak, but Astrid cut him off. “Anyway, before you go off on me _again;_ what if we can get our hands on an apple?” she suggested nonchalantly, out of nowhere.

“Idunn's apples? Do you honestly think I have not considered that already? As if Odin will allow me, of all people access to an apple of Idunn; not to mention what happened the last time she let me into her garden. You must be mad, woman.”

“I knew it.” Astrid gave Loki a sly smile.

Loki raised a brow. “So what, pray tell, do you think you know?”

“You just said it. You've already considered getting Ragni an apple. So, when did you come up with that little revelation?” Astrid stated smugly.

 _Crap._ Loki was having a hard time thinking straight due to all the overwhelming amount of emotions. He was slipping; that had been _too_ _easy_ for her. Loki scoffed. “I hate you. You know damn well I cannot think clearly right now, and you are taking advantage of me.”

“Yes, I am very much aware of that, and you love me. Now answer my question.” Astrid demanded, still flipping through her book. “Before or after Paris?”

“Before.” Loki admitted, feeling defeated. There was no point in lying, she would figure it out anyway.

Astrid's eyes widened. “Seriously? I really wasn't sure. Oh my gods, Loki-”

“Shut up right now or I will go back to what I said before, and kill you.” Loki threatened.

“If you didn't kill me then, I doubt you would now.” Astrid pointed out. “How are the dreams by the way?” she asked carefully, changing the subject.

“Not pleasant.” Loki grumbled.

“Are you ever going to tell me what they are, or am I going to have to guess?” Loki had yet to tell Astrid about Ragni's dreams, but she had somewhat of an idea what they could have been. “They are about you, aren't they?”

“Yes.” Loki sighed. “The worst part is, I am seeing it through my eyes, as if I were really there. I have no control over them. I can only watch.” Ragni's dreams were more nightmares than anything and they were always the same. Loki left her, again and again, in different ways. Sometimes they were even violent and he'd hurt her, or worse. “I leave her, over and over again. I have even went as far as to end her life. That is what she dreams.” Loki's voice had converted to a whisper.

“Damn. You really need to go home, Loki.” Astrid urged him. “You need to go talk to her. She's hurt, that's apparent.”

“I cannot.”

“Bullshit!” Astrid shouted. “I will not let you do this to yourself, or to her. Go home.”

“Not yet!” Loki spat. “I need more time!”

Astrid let out a growl. “You are so fucking hard headed! That girl almost killed herself for you, what more do you want?! She loves you! Now go the fuck home, Loki!” Astrid was breathing heavily now, as well as shaking. She wasn't even sure when she had stood up and stormed into Loki's personal space. “Get out! I'm done, you cannot stay here!”

“Astrid-”

“No! If I let you, you will avoid this problem until the end of time. I will not allow you to do so! You can stay the night, but tomorrow your ass is out. I mean it!” Astrid threatened. “I love you Loki, which is why I'm kicking you out.” She didn't give Loki a chance to respond before she turned and left the room, leaving him alone and more miserable than ever.

Loki wasn't ready to go home; he wasn't ready to face her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I found this handy little tool called Ginger. I installed it to my computer and it fixes my spelling mistakes, as well as sentence errors. I have never been more excited in my life. I even went back and went through all the chapters, so I believe ALL the mistakes are fixed. 
> 
> At least, I hope.


	16. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ragni is dealing with nightmares, as well as trying to move on.

_Ragni dangled helplessly from the tower, barely hanging on to the bars, as she pleaded for Loki to save her. He had been so concerned for her at first; asking her to trust him and let go of the bars, and take his hand instead. But once she had, his smile had turned wicked and inhumanly wide. He looked at her, and laughed a horrible demonic laugh, she wasn't sure she would ever get it out of her mind. “Well, here we are. Your life in my hands once again, my pet.” He laughed maniacally. “Did you really think I could ever love you? That I would save you, that you could trust me?” His grip loosened and Ragni gasped when he almost dropped her. “Oops. I wonder what would happen if-” Loki let her go, laughing the entire time as she fell._

Ragni woke up screaming, just as she had done every night since the day she found out Loki had left. The Avengers had assumed she'd been having nightmares about her near death experience in Paris. She had a few times, but the nightmares that plagued her mind now were so much worse. Every night, Loki would leave her, abandon her, or kill her in a different way. The thought of Loki's smile made Ragni shutter. It was not a face she ever wanted to see Loki make, not as if it were possible; the smile had been way too wide. She couldn't stop the tears as they streamed down her face and she tried every breathing technique she could think of to calm herself. This was starting to get old, and fast. Why, why was she dreaming such terrible things? She clutched her chest, feeling several overwhelming emotions, even some she did not recognize or understand. They honestly didn't even feel like her own, but she couldn't think about that right now. Ragni needed to calm down. Thinking a shower would help, she didn't give herself time to decide as she slipped in and let the warm water wash over her. Once again, she allowed herself to break down. She might as well do it now while no one was watching. 

Once Ragni had composed herself enough to leave the shower, she redressed and crawled back into bed, but she couldn't sleep. The constant ache in her chest made it extremely hard to function or even want to be awake, though, it kept her from sleeping; that, and the nightmares. She had resorted to taking sleeping pills, which worked great until she was woken up by her own screaming. Ragni had even considered the sleeping pills to be the cause of her nightmares, but after a few days of not taking any, she still had nightmares and had slept even less. Tempted to take more, she reached for them, but quickly rejected the idea not wanting to overdose. She was sad, yes. Depressed, yes. Suicidal, no. Ragni didn't count Paris. That wasn't a suicide attempt, that was a sacrifice, or it would have been. Ragni closed her eyes and after a while, finally fell back to sleep on her own. This time she didn't have any nightmares, in fact, she didn't dream at all.

* * *

It was officially the day before Ragni was clear to go back to work and she found herself wanting to release some steam. It was a Tuesday, so she knew the Avengers would be in the training room. Swallowing her pride, as well as her grief, she decided to go down and join them. She also wanted to make sure she was fit to fight again.

“Shorty!” Tony exclaimed, wrapping Ragni in a hug the moment she walked into the room. “It's so good to see you back.”

“Um, Tony. I never left.” she pointed out. “What is up with you? Have you been drinking again?”

“Only a little.” he told her and Ragni gave him a look. “I just mean here, with us, an Avenger.” Tony assured her. “We've missed your smart mouth. You've been hiding almost all month.”

Ragni knew Tony meant well, but dammit, did he have to point out everything. “Yeah, I just- I needed time.” she half lied. “Things got-”

“Intense.” Tony finished. “I know.” he paused for a moment. “Loki will come back. I believe he will, for you.” Ragni's eyes widened at Tony's statement, but she couldn't bring herself to respond. “See, the thing is, we men, tend to freak out over little things, so try not to take Loki leaving to heart. We still do not know why he really left.” Ragni was sure her jaw was on the floor now. Why was Tony being so cool about this? She figured he'd be one of the ones to raise hell; literally.

Ragni nodded and gave Tony another hug. “Thank you.” she whispered. “I hope you are right.”

“I'm always right, what are you talking about.” Tony laughed and so did Ragni. “Love ya, kiddo.”

“Love you, too. I still owe you a cake, for the record, for saving my life.”

“I want triple chocolate and it'd better be huge. I wanna be able to live in it.”

Ragni giggled and Tony gave her another reassuring smile. “I'll get on that then. Well, I guess I should go see if this body still works.” she teased. “I'll see you later, Tony.”

“Later, shortstop.”

Ragni felt better now that she had talked to Tony. She only wished she would have sooner. At least he was supportive of how she felt about Loki, but it didn't make it any less fucking weird. Tony had made it pretty clear in the past, he didn't like Loki, but maybe he was coming around. Still, Ragni was having a hard time coming to terms with it. She found a clear spot in the room, sat down and started to stretch. It had definitely been a while, her muscles were tight.  
  
“Um, Ragni.” Clint called from behind, cautiously approaching her. “I just wanted to apologize, about Thor and I.”

Ragni sighed and stood up, turning towards Clint. He had that whole puppy dog look going on; it was hard for her to stay angry at him.“It's fine, just don't crowd me so much next time.” she told him. “Near death experiences are a lot to take in.”

“Right.” Clint new damn well that wasn't why Ragni had been so upset, but he didn't question the matter. “So, the archery lesson, you still up for it?” He smiled, hoping she would say yes.

“Sure, why not.” Ragni accepted. “I need to master all weapons. A bow might as well come next. Show me what to do, and I'll do it.”

“This way!” Clint told her excitedly, as he lead her to a part of the room meant for archery.

“Now, the trick is all in how you hold it.” Clint explained, handing Ragni a bow. “Here, let me show you.”

Clint positioned himself behind Ragni, sliding his hands down her arms as he showed her how to hold the bow. If she hadn't been so completely oblivious about how Clint felt about her, she may have noticed the moves he was making. Ragni hadn't noticed how much Clint had made it a point to touch her, or rather, correct her on how she handled the bow as he explained things to her. She also hadn't noticed the way he now looked at her, or how he was speaking to her. Ragni had no idea how Clint felt about her, even when he was trying to be obvious about it.

“I'm so bad at this.” she giggled, missing her shot; again.

“You're doing fine. This isn't exactly easy.” Clint reassured her. “Also, being your first time, I hadn't expected you to do well anyway.” he teased.

“Gee, thanks!” Ragni laughed, smacking Clint playfully. “Ass.”

Clint gave her a warm smile. “Here, let's go over it again.”

Ragni was actually starting to enjoy being out of her room and around other people. Clint had always been good company, and he made her laugh. He was definitely the brother she had always wished she had. Maybe things wouldn't be so terrible after all. Maybe even one day she wouldn't feel so heartbroken. As they continued the lesson, Ragni hadn't noticed Loki had been standing in the doorway the entire time; watching them.

Loki's hand was still holding the door wide open, with his eyes fixated on Clint as he watched him touch her. He saw the way Clint looked at Ragni; knowing right then and there what his intentions were, and how she was completely unaware of his advances. Clint stood off to the side and Ragni had her back turned, so she didn't see Loki stalking towards them with a murderous look in his eye. She also wasn't aware when everyone else in the room had started to take notice of Loki and the situation. Ragni only noticed Loki when she turned to find him, grabbing Clint by the throat, slamming him so hard to the ground, she heard something break. Whether it was Clint or the floor, she couldn't be sure.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, snap. Clint is in serious trouble...


	17. Regret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Clint's bad decision.

*****Various POV*****

Ragni turned and her heart dropped when she saw him. _Loki._ Her eyes went wide when she noticed the look in his eyes, as he grabbed Clint by the throat and slammed him down on the floor. _Crack._ It took Ragni a moment to process the scene happening in front of her. It was only when Tony began screaming for his suit, along with JARVIS to alert Thor, that Ragni snapped out of her dazed state, but she still couldn't speak or move out of shock. Clint was holding Loki's arm, with both hands, wide eyed and terrified, as he tried to pry Loki's grip away from his throat; struggling for air. Loki was straddling him, hovering over his face just inches away from Clint's. If no one knew what was going on, and if Loki hadn't looked so angry, it may have even been questionable.

Loki started speaking; it was slow and careful, but it held a viciousness to it that Ragni nor Clint had ever heard him use before. “How _dare_ you think you can touch what is _mine!_ ” Clint tried to shake his head and respond, but Loki's grip only grew tighter. “No point in denying it, I _saw_ you. I know _exactly_ what you were doing.”

 _Wait....mine??_ Ragni had yet to process what else Loki had just said, the words mine had clouded her mind.

“Loki!” Tony warned. “Loki, let him go. Now!” Tony was in his suit with Natasha and Steve beside him. He went to move, but hesitated, afraid if he tried anything, Loki would snap Clint's neck. It would take literally nothing for Loki to kill Clint if he really wanted to; no one in this room would be able to stop him. “You do not want to do this, Snowflake. He means her no harm; it isn't what you are thinking.”

“Then you are just as blind as she is!” Loki growled, never taking his eyes off of Clint. “I assume you are all aware by now, something is going on between us. Yet, this one here, thinks it's okay to make claim to what is mine.”

“Loki, you are overreacting.” Steve attempted to reason with him. “Clint does think of Ragni in that way.”

“Let him go or I swear to god-” Natasha was cut off by a hand from Tony and a shake of a head, basically telling her to shut her fucking mouth.

“Tell them!” Loki screamed in Clint's face; it was so loud, the sound echoed throughout the entire room. Ragni wouldn't have been surprised if Thor had heard it too. Loki released the grip on Clint's throat, enough for him to speak. Loki's voice was calmer, but malicious.“Tell them, or I will end you.”

Clint had just enough leeway to give Tony a glance, as well as an apologetic look. “It's true.” he choked. “I care for Ragni.”

“If you truly cared for her, you would _not_ be attempting to take advantage of her, when you know damn well she is hurting!” Loki snarled.

“Because of you!” Clint spat without thinking, causing Loki's grip to tighten once more. Ragni's pretty sure Loki also growled; like literally.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down, Frosty!” Tony put his hands up, letting Loki know he had no intentions to do anything, that he only wanted to talk. He knelt down beside him, speaking softly and slowly; hoping to be the voice of reason. “Listen, if you kill him you cannot be with Ragni, you will be in a cell. Do you understand?” Tony pleaded. “We can forget this and you two can go, just let him live. _I get it_ ; she's yours, and he's a _fucking idiot_.”

“Loki!” Thor shouted as he entered the room. “Loki, what are you doing!?”

“Blondie, hold on a second.” Tony told Thor as he stood up and stepped in front of him, blocking the path to his brother.

Loki realized what Tony had said was true; he also didn't really condone killing, unless in battle. Mostly, he just wanted to get the point across. ' _Do not touch what belongs to me.'_ Although, if Clint tried again, Loki would rip his lungs out. “I'm going to assume, I do not have to explain what I will do to you, if this were to happen again.” he threatened. “You are lucky Anthony speaks the truth. Otherwise, you would be leaving this room in a body bag.”  
  
Loki removed his grip from Clint's throat, slowly stood up, and walked towards Ragni. She was still in shock, just shaking her head, trying to process what the fuck was happening.“Darling.” Loki began, and she looked at him wide eyed and choked out a noise that had intended to be a word, it just hadn't worked out in her favor. “Come, we must speak with one another. In private.” Loki wrapped his arm around Ragni's waist and helped her walk, and she allowed herself to lean against him for support, as she stumbled in shock out of the room.

* * *

Clint was still laying on the floor; getting angry glares from everyone, aside from Thor. Thor was nothing but confused. “What the fuck slingshot!” Tony said bewildered. “You did not just seriously make a move on Reindeer's girl!” Clint sat up and he winced. “Can you walk?” Clint nodded. “Good, because I am not helping you up. You knew that they were together, and yet-”  
  
“He was gone!” Clint shouted. “Loki left her here; alone!” His legs wobbled as he stood, but he remained standing. He also noticed there was a large crack in the concrete where his body had just been lying. How did he not have any broken bones right now? “I was just trying to-”  
  
“Take advantage of her.” Tony finished. “You know damn well this was _not_ the time for that shit. We also do not know why he left, so that argument is invalid.”

“Tony-” Natasha began, but he cut her off.

“No! Don't you dare open your fucking mouth! You knew, I knew, he knew.” Tony pointed at Clint. “As well as everyone else in here and then some what they fucking are to each other, and he _still_ chose to try and snake his way in.” Tony shook his head and let out a huff. “You're lucky Loki didn't break you in half. _Do not_ be that stupid again, because _I will_ let him rip you apart next time.” Tony walked off, having nothing else to say to anyone.

“Does someone wish to fill me in on what happened, or am I just left to assume from conversation?” Thor questioned, looking at Clint. “Did you do as Tony stated. Did you make advances towards Ragni?” Clint closed his eyes; ashamed, and nodded. “Well, then I am surprised to see that you are still breathing. Know this, my brother has always been very possessive of what is his, so do not think to try that again. You will not be so lucky next time.”

“I'm just wondering, what made you decide that was a good idea?” Steve questioned, trying not to be angry, but failed. “Did you think she would just, cry in your arms or something? Then sleep with you?”

“That's not...” Clint sighed. Jesus, he had really fucked up. “No. That wasn't what I was doing!”

“Then what were you doing?” Natasha asked, trying to be as supportive as she could, but even she was irritated with Clint at the moment. Ragni had been too upset for him to try this right now. Even though she hated to admit it, she knew Loki and Tony had a point. “Explain yourself. Make us understand.”

“I love her!” Clint blurted. “I just hate to see her upset, I didn't think...” he growled. “I just want to see her happy, I want to make her happy! I want to be with her!”

“You cannot have her!” Thor reminded him. “She is not yours to take, she belongs to Loki!”

“You act as if she is property!” Clint yelled. “She is a person!”

“A person, who so happens to _love_ my brother! You have no right!” Thor yelled back, causing it to thunder and lightning outside. Thor was pissed. How dare Clint think he can claim Ragni while she resides with Loki.

“We don't even really know that for sure! We just assumed!” Clint pointed out, clearly still in denial.

“Stop!” Steve shouted. “Everyone just calm down.”

“What the hell did I miss?” Bruce walked in slowly, removing his glasses. “Should I even be in here right now, with all the anger brewing?”

“Clint; the genius, thought it would be a good idea to make his move on Ragni. Snowflake came back and caught him in the act, so he broke the floor using Clint as a hammer.” Tony spoke up, walking back into the room. “I forgot my drink.” He grabbed his glass and walked back out without another word.

Bruce's mouth dropped open as he stared at Clint in shock. “If you had a death wish, you could have just asked.” He didn't say anymore and left them to continue arguing amongst themselves, wanting nothing more than to escape the drama; he knew he should have just stayed in the lab.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Tony was my muse this entire chapter. I don't know where it came from, or what happened...


	18. My light in the dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki is finally back, and he and Ragni have an intense conversation.
> 
> What will he say to her and how will she react?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote TWO chapters today. So, I figured I'd burden you, with glorious feels. ;D

*****I added in a little of Loki's POV.*****

Loki lead Ragni back to her room, neither of them saying a word on the way. As they headed inside, she jumped from the sudden sound of thunder. Loki stopped, the look of confusion written on his face, but he quickly brushed off his thoughts and closed the door behind them. Ragni was shaking all over and she had no idea how she was feeling right now. Her emotions were going haywire, and she was having a really hard time pinpointing which one she was feeling more; happiness, anger, confusion, fear, relief, dread. She had no idea what was happening, or why Loki was back.

Loki turned and walked towards Ragni; since they had separated once in the room. He placed his hand on her cheek as he spoke. “Ragni...” _Smack!_ Ragni really had not planned on smacking Loki across the face, but she had already done it, her mind had refused to allow her to think it through and reacted. “I deserve that.” Loki grit his teeth and clenched his jaw together. Obviously, he wasn't happy about being smacked, but she realized he had also expected it.

“You left me.” Ragni stated blankly. “You left me here, all alone. Without you.”

“Ragni-”

“WHY!” Ragni shouted. “Why did you leave me?” she choked. Ragni had totally planned on staying strong; in the off chance Loki did come back. She'd told herself she wouldn't cry and here she was, about to bawl her eyes out, again. She also told herself she was going to be, and _remain_ mad at Loki. “What the hell was that back there! With Clint?” She didn't understand, it was too much to process.

“He desires you!” Loki shouted, clearly still angry. “He desires you and I will not allow it!”

“Why do you even care? We aren't together, not really!” Ragni shouted back, wondering what the hell. “I am nothing to you! I'm just your whore, a toy you like to play with.” Ragni's voice cracked. She realized she already knew this deep down, but she had never allowed herself to say it out loud, let alone admit it.

“That is not true!” Loki argued gravely. “I believe you know that. You have to know that!”

“I don't know what I know.” she told him. “I still don't see why you care.”

Loki looked at her seriously, his voice shaking as he spoke. “Do you desire him, Clint? If you wish to be with hi-”

Ragni almost gagged. “What, no! Until ten minutes ago, I saw him as my own brother. Now it's all fucked up.” she realized. “No, I do not desire Clint!” Loki let out a sigh of relief. “Why did you leave me?” she repeated, realizing Loki had avoided the question.

Loki swallowed and took her hands. “I left, I left because I panicked.” Ragni gave him a look of confusion, so he continued on. “About what I said to you, in Paris.” he admitted.

“What you said in Norse?” Ragni questioned, and Loki nodded. “I don't even know what you said, Loki! Why panic over something I did not even understand?”

“Because I knew you would question me about it! I didn't want-I ran.”

“What did you say?” What the hell did he say to her? Ragni, was so sure Loki didn't love her, that it never even occurred to her that it could have been a possibility; it still hadn't. “Tell me!” she shouted, when Loki didn't answer.

Loki still didn't respond and when Ragni pulled away from him, to turn and walk away, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back against him; hugging her. “Do not walk away from me.” Loki choked. “I-” his hold against her tightened and she could hear his heart beating ninety miles an hour.

“Loki?” What was going on, what was wrong with him? “I don't understand.” Ragni whispered, feeling defeated. If Loki wanted her, she knew she couldn't, or rather wouldn't say no; even now. “Do you wish to torture me; torment me for how I feel about you?” Ragni pulled away from him slightly, just enough to start unbuttoning her blouse. “Is this what you want? Is this what you came back for?”

“STOP!” Loki yelled, grabbing her hands to prevent her from revealing herself anymore. “Stop...” he choked, realizing this was honestly how she thought he felt about her; nothing but a whore. 

“Then what do you want from me?” Ragni sobbed, breaking eye contact. “Why are you doing this? Just let me go!”

“How are you so blind?” Loki was confounded by Ragni's obliviousness about his feelings for her. “How do you still not see it, after everything?”

“You left me.” she reminded him, choking back tears . “I thought you hated me.”

“I could never hate you, Dove. It's quite the opposite in fact.” Loki wiped away Ragni's tears, and turned her head to imply she return eye contact; she did. “I need you, Ragni. I need you like the earth needs the sun, like the night sky needs the stars, like darkness needs light. _You are my light; my light in the dark._ ”

Finally, his words had started to click something inside her head. “Loki...” Ragni was nearly speechless. “Say it again, tell me again. This time without all the crazy shit going on around us.” Ragni realized now what Loki may have said to her, but she didn't want to jump to conclusions too soon. Her hands were shaking so bad, she had to grab the back of Loki's overcoat just to hold them steady.

Loki cupped Ragni's face with both hands and let out a shuttered breath. Ragni could tell he was scared. He hadn't even been this scared in Paris. With all the emotion, passion, and intend Loki could manage, he softly whispered the words he had told her in Paris, only this time he hoped the meaning would actually be clear. “ _Ek elska pik, Ragni._ ”

Ragni's grip tightened when his words sank in. Even though he had not told her what they meant in English, it was now loud and clear. He loved her. Loki was saying ' _I love you, Ragni.'_ She had wished for this moment for so long, and now that it was here, she had no idea what to do. Her voice failed her, as she tried to choke out a response, and tears invaded her eyes. Ragni couldn't speak, so she did the only thing she could do; she kissed him. Ragni kissed him hard, and deep. Loki reciprocated, lifting her up against him to balance out the height difference in order to make it easier on both of them. Ragni's arms wrapped around Loki's neck, her fingers lacing into his hair, pushing him harder into her mouth, as if he would disappear at any given moment. The way Loki kissed her was desperate and hungry; open mouthed, with his tongue dancing against hers, his hands trailed up and down her back and in her hair, moans escaped his throat loud and heavy. It was by far the most intense kiss Loki had ever given Ragni. He wanted her to know, he wanted her to know just how much he loved her.

Loki loved Ragni more than anything and now that he was back, he was _never_ going to let her go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So next chapter, nothing but smutty, smutty goodieness. ;D :D


	19. I put a spell on you, because you're mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the night, Loki and Ragni make up, the spell does something unexpected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SMUT. I know, finally. Last time was Chapter 7. It's been a minute. ;)

*****Ragni & Loki's POV*****

Ragni wasn't sure when Loki tore her blouse off, or her bra. She also wasn't sure when she had stripped him of his jacket, or how they ended up on the floor. Now, she was proceeding to remove his armor, that was annoyingly hard to take off. Ragni had done it a few times, but she was growing impatient.“Loki, if you do not magick away your clothes right now, I'm going to rip your armor off!”

Loki's eyes grew wide and he chuckled. Pulling her into another kiss, he murmured against her lips. “Always so impatient.” Even though Loki had told her she was impatient, he still did what she had asked, as well as removing the rest of her clothing in the process. Ragni caught Loki off guard, throwing him down to straddle him in one swift move, never breaking away from his mouth. Loki quickly flipped her over on her back, pinning her down. Ragni squeaked, then made a groan of disapproval. Loki chucked against her mouth.“Patience.”

“I do not have any! I haven't seen you in a month Lo-”

Loki cut Ragni off with another kiss, and she gave in pretty quickly; more like instantly. He sat up and pulled her into his arms, as he stood to carry her to the bed, and then promptly _threw_ her down on top of it. Ragni bit her lip and crawled backwards, probably wearing her famous _deer in the headlights_ look, as she watched Loki crawl towards her; like a large cat, stalking its prey. Ragni squealed when Loki grabbed her ankles and pulled her down, positioning himself between her legs. She kissed him deeply, as he placed one hand beside her head to hold himself up, the other gripping her thigh; in order to keep her snug against him. Ragni moaned and wrapped her arms around him, exploring the feel of his backside. She could feel Loki's hardness against her, but he hadn't pushed forward yet. She wiggled down, determined to have him inside her, but Loki's hold had stopped her instantly, and he chuckled against her mouth again.

“Patience, kitten.” Loki reminded her, before brushing his lips across her shoulders and throat; licking, sucking, and biting at her flesh.

“Loki...” Ragni moaned, in response to his teasing. “Please. I want you. I _need_ you.” Loki kissed her, but he still hadn't budged. “I love you, Loki.” she breathed against his lips. “I knew the second I set eyes on you; I loved you.” Apparently, those were the words that were Loki's undoing. He snapped his hips up and pushed his way inside of her. His thrust was fast and hard, forcing Ragni to gasp and cry out, in a mix of pleasure and pain. Loki paused once he had filled her completely, wanting to savor the moment for as long as possible.

It didn't take long for him to find his pace as he made love to her, in long-drawn-out thrusts. _Holy mother of god._ Was it because she had gone a month without having sex with Loki, or was something seriously different this time? If Ragni had been able to coherently think about it, she may have figured out something was off. The thing was, she couldn't; she couldn't think at all. The pleasure she was feeling right now, as well as the emotions, went beyond anything she had ever felt before. It was as if she could literally feel Loki's energy consuming her, as he devoured her. Waves of euphoria erupted over every inch of her body, all the way down to the tips of her toes; everything was heightened, and her body felt like it was almost vibrating. Ragni had _never_ felt anything so intense before. This wasn't normal, but she was too wrapped up in it all to realize that.  
  
Loki kissed her lips, her neck, her throat; his mouth invaded every inch of her skin that he could reach. When he was satisfied, he rested his forehead against hers, meeting her eyes. It was as if they were hypnotized; the world around them fell apart, until there was nothing left. The entire building could have collapsed and they would have never even noticed. The pull they were feeling, as well as the sensation, made it extremely difficult for Loki to stay in control. Ragni knew he was trying to make it last, though, there was no way either one of them were going to last long.

They didn't hold back on their moans, or the incoherent noises that escaped their throats. If it were anyone else, it might have been embarrassing, but Ragni didn't care. Loki didn't care. The only thing that mattered was the two of them and the love they were making. Loki broke eye contact and sunk his teeth into her neck, marking her as his.“Loki!” Ragni had not realized how much she actually liked the biting; until he did it. She could feel the pressure, slowly building down below, as Loki rocked his hips against her, taking her into his mouth once more. His thrusts picked up, pounding into her faster and harder, as he felt her walls clenching around him; getting ready for her oncoming orgasm. “Loki! Loki!Loki!” Ragni fell apart. She was screaming, sobbing, and clawing Loki's back so hard, she's pretty sure she actually broke skin, and that was no easy task.

“That's it, baby girl. Scream my name. Let everyone know that you are mine, that you belong to me!”

“Loki!!! God! Loki!” It was so intense. It was all intense, but this most of all. Ragni had never felt pleasure like this before; it almost seemed sinful. She wasn't sure how long it lasted, or maybe she was having multiple orgasms, she couldn't tell. Either way, it just kept on going.

“Fuck!” Loki growled, thrusting into her one last time before he stilled, pinning her against the bed so hard with his weight, she was worried he might break her. Ragni could feel Loki coming undone inside her, triggering another wave of orgasms; he didn't even have to move and she was still coming. “I love you, Ragni.” Loki kissed her lips, while she was still moaning and sobbing incoherently. “I love you, so much.”

Ragni wanted to say it back, but she could barely breathe, much less talk. So she nodded and gave Loki a hum, kissing him with as much passion as she could manage. She threw her head back and smiled when Loki started rocking again; he wasn't done and she was glad, because she wasn't done either. If she didn't have to do human-like things, like eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom, Ragni was pretty sure she would never let him stop. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen, so she'd have to settle for what she could get.

Neither of them could tell how many hours had slipped away, before Loki had finally pushed Ragni to the brink of exhaustion. She had fallen asleep the moment he had wrapped them both underneath the blankets. He held her close, with her head on his chest, as he watched her peaceful expression as she slept. Loki was still coming down from the high that he was experiencing. He assumed it was from the bond; being able to feel her, as well as himself. Though, his emotions were still distinguishable. Ragni's were more of an echo than anything, yet, still just as potent as his. It was a hard sensation to explain. There really were no words for it; it was just one of those things you had to feel, in order to understand.

Loki wondered how intense this was actually going to get. Astrid had explained to him, that this was one of those spells that didn't just happen over night, they took time to develop. Sometimes even several months. Loki could already tell things had changed for him, and they were still changing. Tonight, he had felt Ragni's energy, her vibrations and everything had been heightened. Why now, he wasn't sure. Maybe, it was because he had finally given in and gave himself over to her completely, or maybe it was just the spell getting stronger and nothing more. There was no real way to know, without having Astrid find the original spell for him, which she had refused to do, unless necessary. It still terrified Loki in ways he hated to admit, but he realized he couldn't run from this anymore, even if he wanted to. He loved Ragni and the thought of leaving her now caused his heart to ache; literally. Loki wondered how long it would be before she realized, just _how much_ things had changed between them.

Meanwhile, Loki was blissfully unaware, that the so called _bond,_ wasn't just a bond like Astrid has assured him it would be. Tonight, it had officiated; consummating into a soul bond. Ragni _was_ his soulmate and pretty soon, she would also realize things were very, very different. Ragni would soon realize that _everything_ had changed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, for dramatic effect. ;)
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxX_673cDCQ


	20. Voices in my head

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Ragni start their new lives together, and then things start to get weird...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am still three chapters ahead, so I figured I'd post early. (:

*****Loki's POV*****

When Loki woke up, Ragni was still curled against him, fast asleep. He smiled at her peaceful state, then glanced at the clock. 10am. _What?_ Had they seriously been asleep for twelve hours!? How was that even possible? He remembered seeing what time it was right before falling asleep, but twelve hours! Loki had been having a hard time sleeping, not that it was unusual to begin with, but in the last month he'd barely slept at all and last night he slept without having any nightmares, for longer than he had in years. Loki felt rested, and he had not felt that way in a very long time. It gave him a sense of peace; something he never thought he would feel, or even be capable of feeling, again.

Ragni began to stir in his arms, making cute groaning noises. “Good morning, kitten.” Loki purred, kissing her forehead.

“Morning.” Ragni said lazily, opening her eyes and stretching in the process. “Ouch.” she laughed. “I think you broke me.”

“Sore this morning, are we?” Loki stated smugly.

“Understatement. I'm sore in places, I wasn't aware I _could_ be sore.” Ragni grunted when she sat up. “Ouch.” she laughed again.

“Here, allow me.”

“No, no, no.” Ragni stopped Loki's hand midair. “I want to remember this pain. This is the best pain I've felt all month, and you will not take that away from me.” she told him sternly. “Unless I can't walk, then you know, do your thing.” Loki chuckled.

“As you wish.”

“We still need to talk.” Loki groaned. “Loki, we cannot just act like nothing happened.”

“Of course we can.” Loki pinned her down, gently, and crawled on top of her, kissing her neck. “See.”

“Loki.” Ragni scolded. “I'm serious. We. Need. To. Talk.” Loki sighed in defeat and groaned again. “Off! I cannot talk to you like this.” Loki didn't budge, instead, he decided to nibble on her ear. “Loki!”

“Fine! Fine, if we must.” He crawled off of her, pouting in the process.

“Are you really going to pout over this!” Ragni exclaimed, bewildered.

“Yep.” Loki whined, making a sad face. _Won't be long now._

“Seriously...”

Loki crossed his arms and shrugged his shoulders. _This will be too easy._

Ragni went to speak, but stopped and shook her head. “I cannot believe I'm saying this, but you win. Okay!” she growled. “Now, get back over here.”

Loki gave her a cheeky smile, and then proceeded to crawl back on top of her.

“Ouch.”

“Ragni, I need to heal you, if we intend to-”

“Fine!” she exclaimed, defeated. “Heal away...”

* * *

Loki and Ragni had finally decided to get out of bed and get dressed; around noon. Loki knew they were still going to have to talk about things, in more detail, but he was determined to avoid it for as long as he could. Mostly, it was just to annoy Ragni; it was fun. She was so cute when she was angry. Loki already knew he had her, so she would put up with it.

“We still need to-”

“SHH!!” Loki scolded. “Stop speaking.” he whispered, as he watched Ragni put on the remainder of her clothing.

“Did you seriously just shush me?” she half laughed, pulling up her pants. Ragni looked as if she was having a really hard time keeping a straight face. She was trying so hard to be serious and stern. How adorable. “I'm serious, Loki-”

“SHHHH!” Loki held a finger to his lips, mostly to hide the fact that now, he was also having a hard time keeping a straight face. He had to hold back a laugh.

Ragni stuck her tongue out at him. “We're talking, whether you agree to it or not. I will tie you down and tape your mouth shut!” she threatened.

Loki's eyes widened. He took a couple strides towards her and pulled her against him. “Is that a threat, kitten?” His tone had a hint of an, _I dare you to try,_ feel to it, but it didn't last. “Also, how am I suppose to communicate with my-”

“You don't talk! I will talk, and yell! _You_ will just listen and shut up!” she shouted, but her tone was playful. “I'm going to get that muzzle they used on you from Thor, along with the cuffs, I swear it! So yes, damn straight, it's a threat!"

“Temper, temper,-tsk, tsk.” Loki scolded, waving his finger in Ragni's face, then gave her a smirk. “I like it. Yell at me some more.” he purred, licking his lips with a gleam in his eyes.

“Oh my gods, Loki! Seriously! Are you ever satisfied?”

“Satisfaction is not in my nature, kitten.” Loki purred again, kissing her neck.

“You are going to be the death of me!” Ragni gasped, dropping her head back so that he could get a better reach.

“As long as it's me, that is the cause of your death, I'm okay with that.” Loki teased, kissing her neck one last time, as well as a lick, before retreating. He had decided to stop torturing her; for now.

“I figured as much.” Ragni looked at Loki and rolled her eyes. _I'm hungry..._ “I'm hungry.”

Wait, did she just say that twice? “I heard you the first time. No need to repeat yourself.” Loki shook his head in confusion, wondering if she thought he was deaf or something; which reminded him, he needed to heal her hearing after she ate breakfa-brunch.

Ragni looked at him confused. “What are you talking about? I only said it once.” _Is he high?_

Wait, what the hell was going on? Was Loki losing his mind? Yeah, he was just hearing things....

“Loki?” Loki hadn't realized he'd spaced out. “Hello, are you even with me?” _Yeah, he's definitely high._

“Yeah. I-I'm here.” _Am I seriously hearing her thoughts?!_

 _What is wrong with him?_ “What's wrong with you?” Ragni questioned. _He_ _looks like he's seen a ghost._ “You look like you've seen a ghost.”

 _Okay, what in Norns name..._ Loki quickly composed himself, realizing he needed time to think; without the other voices. “Wait here, and I'll bring you something to eat?” he suggested, ignoring her questions.

“Sure.” she said hesitantly, looking at him in awe. “That's awfully nice of you. Thanks.” _I wonder if he'd make me an omelet?_

“If that is what you desire, then yes.”

“What?”

“The omelet.” Loki was confused by her confusion, and then it hit him. _Shit!_

Ragni narrowed her eyes. “How did you know I wanted an omelet?”

Loki had to think quickly, this was getting way too confusing. “Because I see you eat one almost every morning. Your eating habits are limited, I've noticed. You always eat the same things.” he told her casually, as if she should have known he knew her food preferences. He did, but that wasn't the point.

“Yeah, but-” Ragni paused, shrugging her shoulders. _Whatever.“_ Okay...Thank you, again. You're sweet, but a suck up.” she smiled innocently. “I can come with you, if you-”

“No!” Loki said a little too quickly. “I just mean, you need to rest.” He told her sweetly. “Your body has been through a lot the past 24 hours.” Her body being through a lot, meaning; Loki, fucking the shit out of her.

 _Yeah, no kidding, you horny fucker._ “I'm suppose to go back to work today and so are you for that matter.” Ragni reminded him.

“I think they will be okay without us for another day.” Loki lead her over to her couch and handed her the remote. “Sit, watch soap-opera's, or whatever it is that you watch. Like, that one show you enjoy so much. The one with the demons.”

 _Supernatural._ “Supernatural?”

“Yeah, that one, with Sam and Dean, and the homicidal angel.”

 _Castiel._ “Castiel.”

“Right.” Loki felt like he was losing it.

“He's also not homicidal, there's just a lot to it. He had some issues.” _I still think you'd like it..._ “I still think you'd like it, if you would just pay attention, instead of reading. Then you might know that.” she pointed out.

Loki didn't really hear her. “Sure, sure. Um, I'll be back.” Loki paused, realizing he was acting way too weird and he really needed to get it together. He turned back and smiled, giving Ragni a kiss on the cheek. “I love you, Ragni. We can talk when I return, I promise.” Loki would have told her anything to get _OUT_ of that room, though, he did intend on keeping his promise; once he figured out if he was going insane or not first.

 _I love you, Loki._ “I love you, Loki. Thank you.” Ragni smiled, then turned her attention to the TV. _I wonder if he can cook?_

Loki had to get out, _now_. “I'll be back momentarily.” As much as he wanted to run for the door, he walked, and closed it quietly behind him. He waited until he was around the corner, before he allowed himself to bang his head against the wall a few times, groaning. This was not happening. He was not seriously hearing her thoughts now too! Astrid never said anything about that! Loki had decided he was going to yell at her the next time he saw her, for lying to him. She probably thought this was hilarious. _Yeah, ha ha. Joke's on you, Loki._

“Snowflake?” Tony called from behind. Loki groaned again. “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine, Anthony.” Loki sighed. _Go away, Anthony! I have bigger issues at the moment...._

“Woman issues?”

“Something like that.” he paused. “Do we have ingredients required to make an omelet?” Loki asked out of nowhere.

“Uh, yeah, in the kitchen. Where the food is; where it's always been. Why-” Tony gasped and he realized. “You're making her food, aren't you?” Loki ignored Tony's question, and rolled his eyes when he turned to leave. Unfortunately, Tony followed him. “I asked you a question, Snowball.” he kept on. “Admit it. You're her bitch.”

Loki scoffed and narrowed his eyes. “Anthony, do shut up.” _For the love of Norns..._ “Shouldn't you be, I don't know, anywhere but here.” he stated jadedly. _Anywhere but annoying me. I need time to think!_

“What's the fun in that when I could aggravate you?” Tony explained. “Plus, you left me for a month. Was it something I said?” Tony exclaimed, as if he was hurt, holding his hand over his heart.

Why in Norns name had Loki confided in Tony that night after the incident in Paris? Why, why?! Tony came to him and insisted they speak, so Loki agreed, mostly to get him to shut up, and it turned out to be a longer and more detailed conversation than Loki had intended on. He really hadn't been in his right mind that night.

“Go away, Anthony, and _forget_ that conversation. I was deluded and out of my mind.” Loki snarled, rolling his eyes.

“Hell no, I don't think so!” Tony laughed, ignoring Loki's obvious threat. “That was a once in a lifetime event. I even had JARVIS record it.”

Loki stopped dead in his tracks. “Tell me, you are joking.” he growled.

“Dead serious, why else would I request we sit in the lounge.” he shrugged, as if it should have been obvious. “So, did you tell her yet?” Tony added innocently, giving Loki a wide smile.

Loki sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, and continued on his way. He couldn't kill Tony; that wasn't an option, but Loki realized he wasn't going away. He was like a cat; no matter how many times you kick it, it just keeps coming back. “How's Barton?” Loki smirked, changing the subject. He really hoped he had broke something; anything.

“Is that a yes, avoiding the question and all that jazz?” Tony stepped in front of Loki when he didn't reply, stopping him from walking forward. “Barton is alive, and surprisingly with _no_ broken bones. The floor was hurt in the process though, sadly.” Loki made a face of disapproval. “I know, such a disappointment.” he deadpanned. “Now, the important question, did you tell her? You know, that you love her. Tell me, you know you will. You can't kill me, I know that's what you're thinking.”

Loki clenched his jaw and cracked his neck before mean mugging Tony. “You are not going to go away until I tell you. Are you?”

“Nope.” Tony popped his P.

Loki sighed heavily. “Yes, yes, I told her!” he said irritably. “Now, leave me alone!” 

“Good, it's about damn time. How mad was she, by the way, for leaving?” Tony continued to pry, moving out of Loki's way, so he could continue his journey to the kitchen.

“She smacked me. In the face.” Loki stated apathetically. He gave up, he might as well respond. Tony clearly _wasn't_ going to go away.

“Go, Shorty!” Tony cheered, fist pumping.

“Anthony...” Loki growled. _GO AWAY!_

“What! You deserved it, Snowflake.” Loki narrowed his eyes, giving him a mean look. “I'm shutting up now.” Loki glared at him. “Alright, _Doom and Gloom_ , I'm leaving.” Tony finally left him alone and Loki chuckled silently to himself. Tony wasn't so bad, but he would never admit it. Not out loud, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so everyone knows, the spell will be eventually explained in full detail. I know it's been jumpy, but there is a reason for my madness. So....I just wanted to throw that out there. ;D
> 
> P.S. Tony loves to give Loki nicknames. Blame him...


	21. Secrets won't be secrets, for very long

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ragni begins to notice something, weird...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say, I appreciate all of you who are reading, and following the fic! Ya'll are amazing. <3

***Loki's POV***

Loki was finishing up Ragni's omelet, when he had decided he was definitely _not_ going to tell her he could read her mind. It was bad enough he was invading her emotions and dreams, but now her mind! How much more personal could this spell fucking get!? Loki thanked the Gods the spell was only one sided, he couldn't imagine what it would be like otherwise. Loki was used to hiding his emotions. The last thing he needed was someone he couldn't lie to, or hide from. Not that he wanted to lie to Ragni, but sometimes in life it's necessary, to keep from hurting the ones you love. The only issue was, he was going to have to pay closer attention to whether she was actually speaking, or thinking. Loki realized this may end up being a bit of a challenge, especially in instances that will come up, for example; her calling from another room, or over a headset; the Avengers finally got with the damn times. There will be moments, when he would not be able to see her mouth moving, so distinguishing her speech from her thoughts was dire. This was probably not going to be easy, but Loki was smart. He could do this. Taking a deep breath, Loki prepared himself and headed back to Ragni's room.

* * *

“Wow, this is really fucking good.” Ragni complimented Loki, as she inhaled her food. “Holy shit, you can cook.”

“I can, when I choose to.” Loki stated nonchalantly. “I just don't do it often. Midgardian food is not very appealing.”

“I'm sorry the food sucks. I'd like to try Asgardian food, but I love our food. I love food, period, come to think of it.” she laughed.

“I've noticed, at least with the food you choose to eat.” Loki chuckled. “I'm glad you are enjoying it.”

“So, are you over whatever that was earlier?” Ragni questioned. “I can tell when you are acting weird, Loki.”

“I wasn't acting weird.” Ragni glared at him. “It's nothing to concern yourself over, so please, do not worry.”

“Right, says the guy who told me he loved me, right before we thought we were about to die, and then abandoned me for a month.” Ragni scolded. “I'm still mad at you, even if you are adorable, and cook me omelets.”

“I apologize, for hurting you.” Loki said sincerely. “It was hard on me too.” he confessed.

“That was more open that I had expected.” Ragni laughed. “Keep it up.”

“I might as well be honest at this point.” Loki told her. “You belong to me now, and I don't want to ever hurt you like that again.”

“So, are we like, dating now?” Ragni asked him wide eyed. “Because I'm okay with that.”

“If that's what you Midgardian's call it, then yes. We are dating.” Loki assured her.

“What do you call it?”

“Courting, I suppose.” he shrugged.

“Sounds fancy.” Loki chuckled and Ragni couldn't help but smile.

“Are you happy?” he asked her seriously.

“Extremely. Are you?”

“More than words can express.” Loki kissed her. “You are amazing, Ragni. I want you to know that. I am so sorry, that I caused you so much pain.”

“You're here now, that's all that matters.” she assured him. “Only right now matters.”

“Finish your omelet, and I will have my way with you again.” he smirked.

“You are a machine, do you know that?” Ragni giggled, but she still started eating faster. Loki was a horny little shit, but she couldn't help but love it.

 

After another hour of mischief, Ragni and Loki were cuddling on the couch. She had finally talked him into watching her favorite show. It had been a lot easier than she had expected, which surprised her.

“So, tell me again, why Dean released the Darkness?” Loki questioned, as if he was actually interested.

“Technically, he didn't. Rowena did, when she removed the mark.” Ragni explained. “Dean wasn't going to do it, a bunch of stuff happened, he killed Death. It's a long story.” Loki hummed. “If I would have known you'd be so interested, I would have started with season one.”

“We'll see.” Loki eye rolled.

“Are demons real?” Ragni wondered. “I mean, I know it isn't like on Supernatural, but, do they exist?”

“They do.” Loki warned. “They tend to keep to themselves, but every now and then, one gets loose.” Ragni shuttered. “Do not worry, love. The chances of that are very slim.”

“Hope so.” Ragni dropped the conversation and curled against Loki tighter. It probably wasn't the best thing to know demons existed and it was pretty stupid to be scared, considering she fought monsters for a living, but Ragni couldn't help but have a bad feeling stirring in her gut now.

_Wonderful, now I've frightened her._

“Did you just say something?”

“No, kitten.” Loki kissed her forehead. 

“Oh, must have been the show. Sorry, I'm spaced out now.”

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you.”

“You didn't.” she lied. “I was just thinking.” Ragni shrugged.

Loki smiled at her, but didn't say anything else, and went back to watching the show. Ragni could have sworn she heard him say something, but she decided it was just her imagination.

_I wonder if Ragni has any cheese?_

Okay, that time, Ragni definitely heard something, and she was _looking_ at Loki. His mouth never fucking moved. What the hell? _Okay, be cool. You're good. Just pretend nothing is going on._

“Loki, I was going to get some cheese. I have some in my mini fridge. Do you want some?”

“Sure.” he shrugged, indifferently. _Yes! Cheese. I love cheese. Best thing in this stupid realm._

Ragni got up quickly, trying to appear as normal as possible. What the hell was going on? How was she hearing Loki thinking? This was weird, very, very weird. Should she say something? No, no. That would be a bad idea. As secretive as Loki was, he would not take this news well. She decided to just go with it and do her best to ignore it.

* * *

***Loki's POV***

Loki hadn't heard Ragni's thoughts since he'd come back into the room. He guessed it was something new, so maybe it was still working its self out? Either way, he really needed to get a hold of Astrid and figure it out. She would know, since she'd done the spell herself at one time; as well as still suffering the consequences. Loki was trying to get into this, Supernatural show, Ragni seemed to be so obsessed with. It wasn't terrible and a lot of it was pretty accurate. Though, some of it was way the fuck off, but for Midgardian's, they weren't far from hitting the nail on the head. Loki began to wonder if Ragni had any cheese.   
  
“Loki, I was going to get some cheese. I have some in the mini fridge. Do you want some?” she asked him sweetly.

“Sure.” he shrugged, indifferently, even though he was actually ecstatic; he loved cheese. Ragni stumbled up, smiling at him awkwardly before heading over to the mini fridge. Loki could tell something was off, but what, he wasn't sure. She even felt nervous now.  “Are you alright?” he asked, concerned. “You're twitchy.”

“I'm fine!” she said quickly. “You know, cheese...”

Why was she being so fucking weird? “Right. Cheese.” Loki decided to just let it go. She would think it soon enough.

 


	22. Party preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Ragni plan for a party that Tony has randomly decided to throw.....for them.

 Ragni stopped hearing Loki's thoughts, and even caught herself wondering if she had imagined the entire thing. Things were strange, but it didn't feel bad. It was just, simply, strange. Ragni had finally talked Loki into leaving her room to go down to the Rec room and play pool. She was pretty damn good at it, and she hoped Loki sucked and she'd win. Though, that was highly unlikely. Everything Loki did, he was amazing at. He also caught on quickly.

“Aw, just look at you two.” Tony cooed, walking towards them, as they exited the elevator to the main floor downstairs.

“Not again.” Loki complained. Ragni gave him a confused look. “I saw him earlier, making the omelet.” he explained.

“You two are adorable! Oh my god, and you're holding hands!” Tony was like a little kid; he was way too excited.

“It's what people do when they are dating.” Ragni pointed out. “It's just hand holding. The world still stands, Tony.”

“I'm surprised the building is still standing, in all honesty.” Ragni's face flushed. “Yeah, why don't you scream a little louder next time? I don't think the entire building heard you, or anything.” Tony gave her a sly smile and a wink. He, fucking winked!

“Oh. My. God!” Ragni buried her face in her free hand, while Loki roared back in laughter. “How come they never heard us before?” she whispered to Loki.

“Because, I always used a spell for that, darling. I wasn't kidding when I told you, let everyone know who you belonged to.” he whispered back, smirking.

“Of course.” _That little shit!_ “I'm so sorry.” she tried to squeak, but was too embarrassed.

“Hey, kiddo. Don't apologize. I was even a little jealous.” Ragni scrunched her face. “I just mean, Pepper has been gone for months, I need to get laid!” he corrected immediately.

“Sure, Tony. Just admit it, you're in love with my boyfriend.”

“I hate that term.” Loki complained.

“Of course, that's all you hear, and respond to.” Ragni laughed. “Should I leave you two alone?”

“Anyway...” Tony decided it was time for a subject change. “So, tomorrow night; Prom, be there.”

“What?” Loki and Ragni said in unison.

“Prom, party, shindig, whatever you wanna call it. I'm having one tomorrow, in honor of you two crazy kids.” Tony smiled cheekily; he was clearly proud of himself.

“You will find an excuse to throw a party for anything, won't you?” Ragni was in disbelief. “We don't need a-”

“Too bad. Already set in stone. So, you two better go out and find something to wear. Formal wear, for the record.” Tony handed Ragni a credit card. “Make sure to spend it all in one place.” he smiled, before walking off.

“What the hell just happened?” Ragni asked Loki, bewildered.

“I have no idea, but I'm worried.” The dread was clear in Loki's tone and his eyes went wide. “He's up to something.”

“Yes, yes he is.” Ragni agreed, sighing. “Do you still want to play pool, or should we go play dress up instead?”

“I suppose we should get that over with. The pool table will still be here once we return.” Loki said blandly.

“I hate shopping and I hate dresses even more.” Ragni whined.

“Hm, that's right, I've never seen you dressed up before.” Loki smirked. “This might actually be fun.”

  
Once they arrived at the mall, Loki and Ragni headed over to the formal wear shops. She was not looking forward to this. She hated wearing dresses; with a passion. Ragni realized pretty quickly, Loki looked good in _everything._ Was there anything he couldn't do, or pull off? “I like that one the best.” Ragni told him, admiring Loki in a black dress suit; he looked delicious. “Black really suits you. Green as well, but that is the one.”

“I suppose it will do.” Loki said apathetically, admiring himself in the mirror. “Your turn.” Ragni groaned, and he turned to face her. “Stop avoiding the dressing rooms. I'm finished, now, no more excuses. Go, try them on. I'll decide which dress.” he demanded and Ragni groaned again; louder. “Go!” Loki shooed her and she finally complied. 

* * *

***Loki's POV***

“Ragni, please, come out.” Loki pleaded, as she hid in the dressing room. “Just let me see it.”

“NO!” she shouted. “I look ridiculous!”

“Ragni, I'm sure you look beau-”

“I said no!” she shouted again, interrupting Loki. He sighed. Norns, she was as bad as Astrid.

“Is there a problem, Sir?” A woman, who clearly worked there, asked nicely. She was a cute little thing, with short brown hair, brown eyes, and a polite smile. She was clearly eager to help.

“Actually, yes, thank you-” Loki noticed her name tag read, _Nancy_. “Nancy. My, uh-” Loki paused, unsure what to call her; he hated the term girlfriend as well. “She, uh, she won't come out.” He gave up on trying to explain what she was.

Nancy laughed. “I see, allow me. I'm good at this.” she told him sweetly and winked, before walking into the dressing room where Ragni was held up.

Loki chuckled. _Gods help her._

_I look stupid, so fucking stupid! Gods, what if he hates it?_

Great. Loki could hear Ragni's thoughts again. Well, this was going to be interesting.

_This stupid woman! Fuck off, and mind your own damn business!_

Loki couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Ragni could be fiery when she chose to be. Her mouth had gotten her into trouble a few times with Loki, though, he's pretty sure that's why he fell for her. She didn't have a filter; at all.

“WOULD YOU FUCK OFF, YOU STUPID BITCH!” Loki suddenly heard Ragni scream and a few moments later, Nancy ran out.

“Sorry buddy, she's a nightmare. You're own your own. I don't get paid enough for that shit.” she told Loki bluntly, before she scurried off to help another customer.

“Ragni!” Loki attempted to scold, but he couldn't; he was laughing too hard. _Wow._ _Okay, time for plan B._

Loki barged into the dressing room and Ragni shrieked. “Loki! You cannot be in here!” she looked terrified. _Oh, my gods! I'm still wearing this stupid fucking dress!_

Loki went to speak, but he was actually speechless for once; Ragni, was absolutely stunning. Her dress was black, and fit her curves beautifully. It featured a mock neckline, with a large front diamond cut out and it flowed to the length of the floor, with sheer lace godets on the fabric. It was simple, but beautiful. “Ragni, you-” How could he put this, why had his brain shut down? _Nice time to lose your silver tongue, Loki. You're a disgrace! Think! Use words! Say something, she's freaking out!_

 _Oh my gods, he hates it._ “I know, I looked stupid.” _He cannot even find anything to say to me!_

“No!” Loki almost yelled. “No, you look-” he swallowed. “Amazing. Stunning. No, beautiful!” he corrected, not sure which term he should use. Whichever one was the best, but he couldn't remember which one was better at the moment. What was wrong with him? He was smoother than this and he couldn't even think. Was it Ragni's emotions overwhelming him again, or was it his own? He was having a hard time being able to tell.

“Really?” she asked, almost as if she didn't believe him, and he nodded. “I really don't look stupid?” _I don't think he's lying..._

“No, kitten.” Loki stepped towards her, taking her hands. “You are the most gorgeous creature, I have ever laid eyes on. With this dress and without.” he kissed her. “You will be the most beautiful woman at the party, and you are all _mine_.”

 _I love it when he says that; mine. That will never get old._ “Thank you, Loki.” _I love him so much._ “I love you, so much.”

“I love you, too.” Loki kissed her again. “I think you should just get this one. Don't torture yourself anymore.”

 _Thank Gods!_ “Thank gods.” Ragni sighed in relief. “I hate doing this.”

Loki chuckled. “I can tell, as well as poor Nancy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a picture of the dress. For visual purposes! ;D
> 
> https://www.windsorstore.com/product/Jadyn-Cut-Out-Crepe-Dress-050024616?c=734


	23. Fire and Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Loki and Ragni return, someone is waiting for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm only one chapter ahead now. D: So, updates may or may not slow down. I'm currently starting Chapter 25. I just like to wait a bit before posting to read over them again. Sometimes, it's just better that way. :) :)

When Ragni and Loki arrived back at the tower, Steve was waiting for them downstairs. “Hey guys.” he said awkwardly. “So, um, you're needed in the meeting room.” his tone had a hint of caution added to it now, mixed in with the awkwardness. _Damn._ Ragni assumed Steve had heard them having sex too; concluding they had probably traumatized him for life.

“Why?” Ragni questioned. “Was it because we didn't go to work today, because-”

“No, no, I don't think that's it.” he paused, as if he was contemplating saying more. “Fury is here and he doesn't look happy.” Steve said apologetically. “I think he knows, about you two.”

“Great, just what we need.” Ragni groaned and Loki took her hand.

“Don't worry, my love.” Loki assured her. “He will not take you away from me.”

“Oh, that isn't happening anyway. I'll kill him before it comes to that.” Steve looked at her astonished and Loki chuckled. “I'm dead fucking serious.” she exclaimed. “Let him try and separate us.”

“Perhaps, we should not take any weapons with us?” Loki suggested, raising a brow.

"I don't think I should have heard that.” Steve shook his head. “Just play nice, or try to. _Both_ of you.”

“Right, as if we are the ones you should worry about.” Ragni scoffed. “Let me go put this shit away and then we'll deal with the pirate.”

“No need.” Loki told her, taking the bags. He closed his eyes, as if concentrating, and the bags vanished. “The bags are now on your bed.”

“You just don't want me to go in my room.” she concluded, making an annoyed face.

“Exactly. There are too many pointy objects in there, and Fury only has the one eye as it is.” he told her, kissing her forehead, as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

“You're no fun.” Ragni whined, rolled her eyes.

“I'm cautious. I do not trust you to behave.”

“Well, you aren't wrong about that.” she agreed.

“I'm never wrong, kitten.” Loki purred.

“Should I even leave you two alone with him?” Steve questioned. “Or do you need an escort, or should I say, does Fury need a shield?”

“We'll be fine, Captain.” Loki assured him, then looked back at Ragni. “You can run along. I'll take care of this one.” 

* * *

Loki and Ragni were now in the meeting room. Fury had told them to sit, so they complied, though, he had not sat down himself like he usually did. He just stood there, staring them both down, like they had done something horrible. Loki scooted his seat closer to Ragni, and took her hand that was hidden underneath the table. She assumed it was in an attempt to keep her calm, since she was already shaking and having to bite her tongue. Fury was pissing her off already, and he hadn't even spoken a word yet.

“I am going to assume, I do not have to explain why you two are here.” Fury stated disapprovingly. “Or do you need me to elaborate?” 

“I would suggest you elaborate because we haven't done shit.” Ragni growled. She didn't like Fury that much to begin with, so, this definitely didn't help the matter.

“I got a very interesting phone call this morning. I hear you two have decided to team up, other than on the battlefield.”

“What business is it of yours?” Loki spoke candidly. “There is nothing that states we are not allowed to court one another.”

“So it is true.” Fury said critically, with a disapproving look on his face. “What in god's name are you thinking, you _stupid girl_.” he spoke directly to Ragni, judging her with his eyes.

“Excuse me!” she exclaimed. Loki gently squeezed her hand, and rubbed his thumb over the top part of her wrist.

“You heard me.” Fury growled.

“Again, what fucking business is it of yours?” Ragni exasperated, narrowing her eyes.

“I make it my business.” He told her directly. “Everything you do, everything he does, _is_ my business.”

“Well, I suggest you get a new hobby.” Ragni smiled cheekily and then promptly gave Fury the middle finger. “Here's an example. Go fuck yourself!”

Fury's eyes grew wide; he was enraged at this point. “I put you two together to FIGHT, not to, to-”

“Fuck?” Ragni finished for him, shrugging her shoulders and Loki snorted out a laugh.

“This is NOT funny!” Fury shouted.

“He thought it was funny.” Ragni pointed towards Loki; who was now laughing even harder.

“Miss. Alfson.” Fury began again, with a serious tone, ignoring her inappropriately timed attempt at humor. “Loki, is a war criminal, and you should be ashamed of yourself!”

“He's an Avenger, and he's been an Avenger for over a year!” Ragni shouted, standing in the process.”So, suck my lady dick, because I couldn't give two flying shits what you think!”

“Darling, calm yourself.” Loki spoke earnestly now, standing and wrapping his arms around her waist when she had made an attempt to move closer to Fury. “He is only trying to get a rise out of you.”

“I AM CALM!” she shouted, still fighting Loki's hold.

“Control your whore!” Fury warned, looking at Loki. “Or I will.”

“DID YOU SERIOUSLY JUST CALL ME-” Ragni started to scream, but Loki was already in front of Fury before she could finish. _OH shit...._

Loki grabbed Fury by the throat and slammed him hard against the wall. “Call her a whore again and see what I do to you!” he snarled.

Fury let out a crazed laugh. “Go ahead, do something.” he choked against Loki's hold. “I _dare_ you.”

“Loki, this is what he wants! Don't do it!” Ragni had figured it out, Fury was _trying_ to get Loki to snap. So far, she had been the only one who had been truly angry. Fury had decided to use more extreme, and desperate measures. He wanted Loki to kill him. “Please. Loki...he's doing this on purpose.” Loki released Fury after a few moments, but he didn't move. He just stared Fury down; growling. _Holy shit!_ “Loki, let's just go. He can't do shit and he knows it! That's why he called me a whore, he _wants_ you to do something!”

“If I were you.” Fury began with a smug smile. “I'd listen to your little wench.” Loki clenched his fists. “Now, run along.”

“Loki, please.” Ragni pleaded, taking his arm. “Ignore this piece of shit.” Loki was breathing heavily, and he had yet to remove his eyes from Fury's. Was he was contemplating?

_What are my options? What would happen exactly, if I ripped this worthless mongrel in half?_

He was definitely contemplating. Ragni could hear Loki's thoughts again. She had to do something before he decided; without him knowing she knew what he had been thinking. Although, it was kind of obvious, even without the whole mind reading thing. Ragni started to pull Loki towards her, in an attempt to get him out of the room, but it was like trying to move a building; he didn't budge.

_Would it be worth it? Is it worth it?_

_No, Loki. It's not worth it!_ Ragni wanted to scream, but she couldn't. “Loki, whatever you're thinking, please, it isn't worth me losing you. Not again.” she choked. _Okay, that should be okay. Not too obvious right?_ Loki finally snapped out of it, looked at her, and nodded. _Thank god._ Ragni looked at Fury and with as much viciousness as she could muster, she spat, “I don't know if you recall who I use to be before I came here, but I would recommend, _you_ _remember_.” Fury narrowed his eyes at her, but said no more. “Come on, baby. Let's go.”

 

Loki was still fuming when they had gotten back to her room. She hadn't heard his thoughts, nor had he said a word since they had left. Now he was pacing back and forth. “Loki?” Ragni cautioned; she didn't want to make things worse. “Are you okay?”

“Do I look okay!” he stopped long enough to snap, then began pacing again.

 _Well. Okay then._ “Don't snap at me!” she snapped back. “I'm not the one your mad at!” Loki stopped, but he didn't say anything. He just closed his eyes and took a few deep breathes. Ragni knew how he was probably feeling, she was just as angry, but she couldn't let Loki kill Fury. It would take nothing for SHIELD to decide Loki was no longer an asset, or useful to them anymore. They probably couldn't kill him, but they wouldn't make his life any easier. “Loki.” Ragni tried again. “I'm sorry I didn't let you kill that scumbag, but he just wanted a reason to put you away. It would have been our word against a dead body, and Fury of all people.” She approached him, wrapping him in a hug and she was relieved when he returned the hold.

“I know.” Loki sighed. “But he cannot get away with this. I won't allow it.”

“Loki, you need to think this through, okay?”

“I always think things through, kitten. If Fury disappears, no one will know I did it.” The way Loki spoke was as if he had already been planning on what he was going to do. Fury should have known better than to piss of a God. Especially, the God of chaos, mischief, and lies. Loki wasn't stupid; if he wanted to get away with it, he would. Fury was more than likely a dead man.

“Be careful.” Ragni pleaded. “I beg you. I cannot lose you again.” She could feel the tears swelling in her eyes. “That was the worst time of my life, and I cannot do it again. I've never felt...” she didn't finish, she couldn't finish. Ragni also didn't want to make Loki feel any guiltier, even though she probably should have, but she also didn't want to think about the pain she had felt when Loki was gone. It was horrible. She had felt heartbreak before, but nothing like that.

“I'm always careful, kitten, so no need to worry.” Loki pulled away, just enough so he could look at her. “I love you, and I will not do anything to compromise what we have.”

“You've choked slammed two people, in two days.” she reminded him with a look.

“Yet, they both still live.” he pointed out. “I believe that's a step up from how I would have reacted a year ago.”

“Point taken.”

“Now, before it slips my mind again.” Loki placed his hand on Ragni's damaged ear and she felt a cold breeze slip inside, making her shudder. “By morning, your hearing will be one hundred percent again.” he kissed her lips. “I regret not doing it sooner.”

“I didn't really notice to be honest.” Ragni shrugged. “But, thank you. You are amazing, and I love you.”

Loki pulled her against him for another hug. “Did you still want to play that game; pool?”

“Not anymore.” Ragni sighed.

“Then tell me, what would you like to do now?”

“You.” she grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer-There is a reason for Fury's madness, just for the record. You'll find out why he did what he did, eventually.


	24. You're my mortal flaw; I'm your fatal sin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki admits a fear he has, and contemplates coming clean about the spell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just want to add, "You're my mortal flaw; I'm your fatal sin" are song lyrics from Beth Crowley's; Warrior. I take no credit for the chapter title. It was just very, very fitting....

Feeling Loki's warm breath against her neck as he kissed her, Ragni shut her eyes, taking in his scent. He always smelled like cinnamon. Ragni could find Loki with her eyes closed if she had to. No one smelled as good as he did; no one. Even the most expensive cologne couldn't compare to Loki's sweet scent. “Look at me.” he whispered, and she obeyed. Loki's eyes were mesmerizing, drawing her deeply into his gaze as he kissed her gently, before burying himself inside her all the way to the hilt.

Ragni let out a gasp as Loki began to find a slow pace. She could already feel him clutching onto the bed sheets as he moved. She moaned when Loki kissed her, hungrily and desperately, as if they hadn't been making love almost the entire time since he had returned. “Mine.” he breathed against her lips, letting her catch her breath. “You are mine.” Loki's thrusts quickened and he kissed her again. “Forever.”

Ragni was already panting and feeling the pressure starting to stir down below, though, with Loki it never did take long. He knew exactly how to thrust into her, where to touch her, what to say to her, as well as how to kiss her; having her fall apart in minutes if he choose to. However, he could also drag it out, at almost a torturous level.

Her nails dug into the sides of his shoulders, causing a soft moan to escape his lips. Loki's moan was the most beautiful sound Ragni had ever heard, now, and every other time. She bit down on his bottom lip and he released another moan, only louder this time, and reciprocated by kissing her passionately; as if he was actually attempting to breathe her in completely.

“Loki...” Ragni whimpered, tightening her thighs against him. “Fuck.” Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she shut them for a moment, but only a moment. Loki's thrusts became more erratic, now fucking her at a relentless pace. She cried his name out again, feeling her inner walls tightening around him; her release only moments away.

“That's it, baby.” he whispered hoarsely in her ear. “Come undone for me. I want to feel you come, as I worship your body.” Loki's words were her undoing, and he wasn't kidding about worshiping her body. Ragni screamed Loki's name as she came, almost as if it were a prayer and her life depended on it. He slid one arm underneath her waist and pulled her more against him, changing his rhythm to a circular motion, which only made her scream louder and come even harder.

Loki positioned himself to where he was sitting with his knees bent underneath him and Ragni on top, and he helped her move up and down as she continued to writhe against him, having yet to come down from the intense pleasure from her previous orgasm. Loki didn't leave an inch of her body untouched by his hands or mouth. Ragni had wet trails starting at her neck, leading down to her breasts, all the way to her stomach. Neither of them were sure how long it lasted before Loki spilled himself inside her, cursing in Old Norse as he did. Ragni had no idea what Loki was saying, but it didn't matter. The way he was speaking, along with the foreign words only made her arousal heighten and she climaxed again, as he did. They were both breathing heavily, sweaty, and exhausted by the time they were done with their sexual escapades. Loki had positioned himself back on top of her at some point and once he had finally stilled, Ragni pulled him down against her and they held one another. This was something they had found themselves doing now after having sex. Neither of them would speak a word, and just take in the comfortable silence around them as they relished in each other.

Loki finally pulled away and rolled over, but he immediately pulled Ragni back into his arms, resting her head against his chest. “I love you.” he whispered, his voice trembling now as he spoke. “I love you so much it scares me.” Loki's eyes were wet and vulnerable and he was twiddling his fingers, as if he was trying to find something to do with his hands.

Ragni could already feel the tears begin to swell in her eyes. Loki's admission wasn't something she had ever thought she would hear him say, much less admit out loud. “I love you too, and I'm scared too. I have been.” she admitted, taking one of Loki's hands with her own. “I would never leave you, Loki. I love you too much.”

“That isn't what scares me.” Loki shuddered, tightening his hold around her. “It's how fragile you are, the fact that you are mortal. That, is what scares me.” Damn, he had her there. What could she possibly say to that? “I have almost lost you, more times than I want to think about, and I fear it won't be the last. I fear what I will do if that were to happen. If I lost you.”  
  
Ragni didn't know what to say. There wasn't really anything she could say, at least, not anything that was going to make him feel any better. Loki just needed to get it out, that much she could tell. “I promise, I will be more careful. I don't want to leave you like that either.” She was sobbing now; she hadn't even realized she had started crying until she had went to speak. Why was she so fucking emotional? Loki needed to talk and here she was, a blubbering mess. “I love you,” was all she could manage, so she just kept repeating it.

“Don't cry, my darling.” Loki stroked her hair in an attempt to soothe her. “It wasn't my intention to upset you.”

“You didn't, I just-” she couldn't finish. Her sobs had turned into hysterical cries now and Loki could only pull her closer against him and hold her, until she finally fell asleep out of exhaustion.

* * *

*****Loki's POV*****

Ragni had been asleep for over an hour, but Loki was still wide awake. He couldn't stop thinking about how fast his life had changed in such a short amount of time. The moment he found out about his true heritage is when it all started, and everything from then on had gone to shit. Loki had been to hell and back, literally, and he couldn't just accept the fact that maybe, just maybe, he could actually allow himself to be happy for once. Loki assumed Ragni knew about his heritage; that he was a Frost Giant, but she did honestly realize what that meant? He was a monster, or so he thought. How could she possibly love him once she sees who he truly was? Loki couldn't even love himself; how was she supposed to? He closed his eyes and forced himself to clear his mind; determined not to think the worst and just allow himself to be happy. _Just be happy and stay happy._ Ragni loved him, wasn't that enough?

Loki dreaded the moment when she found out about what he had done. How he had bound himself to her, even if it wasn't intentional, he had invaded in on her emotions, her dreams, and now her mind. There was no way she was going to take that well. He wouldn't, how could he expect her to? Loki had felt how upset she had been tonight, not at him, but at the situation. He felt everything she felt, which meant he knew just how much Ragni loved him. Out of all of her emotions, her love for him overrides them all. He could still barely fathom it. Why him? Why did she choose him? Though, the real question was, why did he choose her? Astrid was right about one thing; Loki always did things for a reason. He didn't always know the reason, but there was always something behind the things he did. Why was he so drawn to her? Loki had yet to tell Ragni, she wasn't the only one doing the avoiding in the beginning. It was when Fury paired them together, he was forced to face her, and ever since then, he couldn't stay away. He had fixed her staff for an excuse to talk to her again and it had taken longer than he had planned to find her. Then, once he had, she made her intentions known and he couldn't resist. Then he'd managed to stay away for a few days and it had only angered her, and that's when he had impulsively spelled her. Then he figured out another way to keep seeing her, without her knowing his true intentions. 

Loki knew he needed to stop worrying so much. If she loved him now, she would love him then; even if he was a monster, even if he'd lied to her, she would still love him. Wouldn't she? The hardest part about all of this was keeping his own emotions under control. When Ragni was calm and happy, that was one thing. But when she was overwhelmed, he was overwhelmed. When she was mad, he was furious. When she was sad, he felt sadder. There had been so many moments, where Loki had had to force a panic attack to remain at bay. It was mostly when he was staying with Astrid, but it had taken almost the entire month for him to realize his panic attack in Paris had not only been his, but hers.

 

When Loki woke up, it was still dark out, but early morning. Ragni was still curled against him; as she always was and he tightened his hold around her. She had turned over in the night, so now he lay behind her, breathing in the scent of her hair. _Raspberries._ She always smelled like raspberries. It was officially Loki's new favorite scent and it was all because of her. Everything he did now, was because of her. Loki had also realized, that even though he wanted to kill Fury, he probably shouldn't. Although, that did not mean he wouldn't find another way to teach him a lesson. The thing about Loki was; he was very, very patient. He would wait, until Fury thought he was safe and then pounce. What he would do to him, he hadn't decided.

Loki was contemplating now; wanting to tell Ragni about the spell, but a part of him feared the worst. How mad was she going to be? Would she feel betrayed he hadn't told her sooner? Could she deal with this, with Loki knowing it all? Finally, he had decided; he had to know.

“Ragni.” Loki nudged her gently, before he had a chance to change his mind again. “Ragni, wake up.”

“Loki?” she groaned sleepily. “Are you okay?”

“No.” he admitted honestly. “There is something I need to speak with you about. Involving us.”

Ragni jerked up. “What's wrong?” she asked anxiously. “You aren't regretting anything, are-”

“No! No, nothing like that.” Loki assured her and pulled her against him, kissing her gently. “I love you, that has not changed.”

“Then-” Loki placed a finger to her lips.

“Let's have a shower, breakfast, and then we can talk. Okay?” he pleaded; now regretting his decision to tell her, but it was too late to go back now.

“I don't understand, but okay.” she reluctantly agreed.

Loki knew Ragni was freaking out now, thinking the worst and he hated to make her wait to talk but he just wanted one more normal morning with her, before it all went to hell.


	25. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki comes clean, and Ragni drops a bombshell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I've had this chapter written, but I wanted to have the next chapter finished, and I still have yet to start it.(I've been feeling crappy) so I didn't want to make you all wait longer than necessary, so...here you go!

 

Ragni was anxious and worried. Loki was acting so strange. What could have possibly changed so quickly? She was sitting on the couch, waiting for Loki to come back with something to eat. He had insisted she wait and that he would bring her something. Ragni had a feeling that it was just a way for him to get some space. Something was definitely wrong though. When they had showered, Loki had made love to her again, but it had been with such desperation that it scared her. It was almost as if Loki thought it would be the last time he would ever be with her. It was enjoyable, but she couldn't shake the uneasiness stirring in her stomach now.

When Loki returned, they ate in silence. He looked worried and he was spacey. Ragni assumed he was trying to figure out what he was going to say and she tried to give him some time, but she couldn't take the silence anymore. She couldn't eat; she wasn't hungry. Ragni threw down her fork and sighed, leaving her plate of eggs untouched and only a half a piece of bacon eaten, on her coffee table.

“I can't take this anymore, Loki. What's wrong? Please, whatever it is, it cannot be as bad as you are letting on. Tell me.” she pleaded. “Please.”

Loki sighed and let out a heavy, shuddered breath. “You say that now.” he mumbled, closing his eyes. “I did something.” Loki paused and opened his eyes, but did not look at her. “I put a spell on you.”

“What, when?”

“That day in the library.” Loki finally met her gaze and Ragni's eyes grew wide as she remembered.

“I was wondering what the fuck that mumbo jumbo shit was that you were chanting in my ear. I meant to ask, but you know, distracted.” she raised a brow. “So, what did you do exactly?”

“It was intended to be a mere protection spell. A way I could tell if you were afraid, or in danger.”

“Wait, you did that! Back then?” Ragni was in awe. “Why and wait, what do you mean _intended_?”

“Believe it or not, I cared for you even back then.” Loki confessed. “I was in denial. Trying to fight it, manipulating you...” he cut off, trying to find the right words for what he was about to say next. “Turns out, the spell I performed had a bit more to it than what I was told.”

Ragni was still shocked by the fact Loki had cared enough back then to want to protect her. “How long?” she asked.

"How long, what?"

"How long have you cared?” Ragni stood and sat on her knees on the floor between his legs so she could hold his hands; they were shaking.

“Since I first time I laid eyes on you. That day on the battlefield I realized I couldn't, or rather, didn't want to stay away from you anymore. I said you were intriguing for a reason, pet.” Loki dropped his eyes and licked his lips. “Ragni, I bound myself to you.” he blurted.

_What?_ “What?” Ragni blinked. “What the hell do you mean, bound?” she stuttered.

“I can feel you, your emotions. I can also see your dreams.” Loki paused and gave her a pleading look. “As of yesterday, I can now hear your thoughts.” Ragni gasped. “It comes and goes right now, but I believe before long it will be here to stay. I'm sorry. I didn't...” Loki didn't finish, because Ragni had stood up and stumbled backwards, shaking her head. “Ragni?”

_Holy shit. Holy fucking shit._ It all made sense now. Why she'd been so crazy. Why her emotions had been so overwhelming. Her nightmares, hearing Loki's thoughts. Everything. _Holy. Fucking. Shit._ “I...” What the hell was she supposed to say? “It all makes sense now.” she speculated, still shaking her head, eyes wide.

Loki looked at her confused. “What makes sense?”

“Why I've been so fucking crazy lately! You say you feel me right? So, you feed off my emotions.” she concluded. Loki nodded, still confused. “I've been so fucking off lately. Now I know why and my dreams!” Oh shit, should she say it? Should she tell him?

“Ragni, the spell is only one sided.” Loki elaborated. “It doesn't work both ways.”

“Are you sure?” she asked cautiously. “I don't know, Loki.” Ragni approached him. Loki had stood from his seat, but he had not made an attempt to approach her. “It's like, I have been feeling everything twice as much. It's almost like...” she paused, looking for the right word. “An echo, I guess you'd say, but it's still super intense. It's confusing. I won't even be upset, and it just hits me.” Loki looked pale now. “Also...” She bit her lip. “I've heard your thoughts too. On and off, as of yesterday...” she winced, and Loki's eyes grew as wide as she'd ever seen them and he choked. “Loki?”

Loki fell to his knees and started shaking his head. “It's not possible.” he croaked. “She said, she said it was impossible!”

Loki's buried his face into the floor and he just kept repeating how it wasn't possible. Ragni had no idea what to do, or what was going on. She wasn't even sure if she should be angry at him for doing the spell to begin with. He did say he wasn't aware. _Wait, she? Who's she??_

“She? She who?” Ragni knew this was NOT the time, but she couldn't help it. Who the hell was SHE?

“What?” Loki muttered. “Really? That's all you're concerned about!” he yelled, standing in the process and making Ragni jump. Perhaps, she should have waited to question him on that. “I can hear your thoughts, feel your emotions, invade in on your dreams and now I find out it isn't one sided, and all you can ask is who SHE IS?!” Crap, Loki was pissed. Really pissed.

“I'm sorry, I-” Ragni swallowed. Loki was fucking terrifying when he was mad. She knew he would never hurt her, but it didn't make him any less scary. “I don't know what I should think, Loki.” she tried to reason and it seemed to calm him some, but he started that pacing thing again. _Great._

“Her name is Astrid.” Loki finally answered. “She's an old friend, the one I acquired the spell from.”

“You were with her all month.” It wasn't a question, it was a statement and Ragni felt her heart drop.

“We are not lovers! We never have been! She's like a sister to me!” Loki stressed, throwing his arms in the air.

“Right, like Clint was 'just my brother'.” She rolled her eyes; air quoting in the process.

“Ragni, I'm serious! In the nine hundred years that I have known her I _never once_ slept with her!” Loki spat irritably, then pinched the bridge of his nose. “That's not even the issue. That's not even...” he trailed off.

“What IS the issue then? Other than the obvious! Do you want me to be angry?!”

“No!”

“Then explain to me what the fuck is going on, Loki!”

“We're...” Loki paused. “The spell was only suppose to be one sided. That means...” he paused again, only longer.

“What?!” Ragni yelled. “Just spit it out, Loki!”

“WE'RE SOULMATES!” Loki shouted, then went paler, as if it just really hit him. Then he fell to his knees again, covering his mouth. “We're Soulmates.” he repeated in a muffled whisper, eyes just as wide as they had been a minute ago.

Ragni was stunned. She couldn't move, breath, or think; her mouth hung wide open, almost as wide as her eyes and she choked. “What?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will go into more detail and Loki will begin to realize....well, a lot of things....


	26. A match made in Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Ragni discuss what they can without Astrid's help, and Ragni asks Thor for a favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, though, it's only been three days. Is that even a delay really? xD  
> I started a new Fic, intending on taking a little break from this one, but inspiration happened. 
> 
> Hopefully their conversation isn't too short; I'll be going back to it often and Astrid will be making her appearance again pretty soon and then we will all know exactly, what the hell is happening. ;D Until then, hope it's not getting boring or anything. I'm working up to something, it just takes a while. At least for me it does.

*****Loki's POV*****

"Loki! Loki!" Ragni was shaking him, but he couldn't bring himself to focus. He was having an epiphany; everything was making sense now. Why he'd been so drawn to her in the beginning, why he'd impulsively spelled her, why the sex the night he had returned had been so intense, and why he'd fallen so hard for her. He also knew now why Astrid hadn't mentioned the telepathy. It was part of a soul bond, something she didn't have. Ragni is his Soulmate; how was this possible? Loki's mind was racing a hundred miles a minute, but Ragni suddenly slapped him, snapping him out of his daze.

"Thank you." he muttered, blinking at her. 

 "Are you okay?!" she asked, panicked. 

"Yes." he swallowed. "Just realizing some things. I just need a minute to think." He pulled her into his lap and held her close. 

"Loki?"

"I'm not running away." He gave her a look of reassurance. "I swear it. It's just a lot to take in right now."

"What does this mean?"

"I am not sure to be honest. I need to talk to Astrid, she's the only one who can help us." Ragni groaned and Loki glared at her. "You might even like her."

"Doubt it." she retorted. 

Loki chuckled. "Give her a chance. She is excited to meet you."

Ragni's eyes lit up. "You talked to her about me?" she grinned. "What did you tell her?"

"You can ask her yourself." Loki smirk and Ragni rolled her eyes. "Can you hear my thoughts right now?"

"No." She chewed on her bottom lip."You?"

"No." 

"That's weird. Why is it so random?" she asked.

"No idea." Loki sighed. "I'm not sure if this is even all."

"Huh?"

"The telepathy is new, the rest is not. There might be other side effects that just haven't surfaced yet."

"Like what?" 

"Again, I do not know." Loki sighed. "For now we just go on as we would and in the meantime I will contact Astrid. You and I will either visit her in Alfheim, or she will come to us."

"Can we go there! Please, please, please!" she begged. 

Loki chuckled. "I will ask her, I'm sure that would be fine." 

"So, what now?"

"I suppose we get ready for work, since we should probably go today and tonight we'll party." Loki shrugged.

"You promise you will still be here when I get back?" she mumbled. 

Loki felt a sting of guilt. Ragni was terrified of the fact Loki might abandon her again. He wouldn't, he couldn't, even if he wanted to. He could feel her panicking, so he pulled her closer, giving her a sensual kiss. "You have my word. I will never leave you again, Ragni." And he meant it.

* * *

Ragni could barely concentrate on the paperwork in front of her. She had so many questions, unanswered questions. She was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Loki was her Soulmate. Did that mean they were made for each other? Meant to be together? Is that why she loved him so much? It was a lot to take in even for her, so she couldn't fathom how Loki was feeling and honestly, she was still terrified that it was all going to be too much for him and she'd wake up one day, and he'd be gone again. 

"Ragni!" Thor smiled, practically running to greet her. "How are you, my friend?"

She giggled. "Hello Thor, you're awfully happy today."

"Ah, yes. Well, I just got back from talking to Loki." _Oh?_   "He is very smitten with you, Ragni. It has been a very long time since I have seen my brother express any sort of happiness." he smiled. "Thank you."

Maybe she was silly for worrying so much. "You're welcome, though, Loki still does what he wants."

"Oh, of course." Thor laughed. "Always has. Will you two be attending the dance tonight?"

"Yeah, did Tony not tell you, it's supposedly for us?" Thor shook his head and laughed. "Damn. I was hoping you'd spill what he's up too. I'm nervous."

"And now I as well. Well, I must get back to Steven. He is awaiting for me to remove my hammer from his shield." 

"Should I even ask?" Ragni raised a brow. It was never boring in this tower, that's for damn sure.

"I wouldn't." he chuckled.

"OH! Thor, I have a question." she paused, unsure how to phrase this. "So, remember that muzzle and the cuffs you all used on Loki when he attacked New York?" Thor nodded, skeptically. "Would you happen to have them?"

"I do." Thor confirmed. "Um, may I ask, why would you need those particular items."

Ragni smiled. "For science."

"Science?" 

"Yep."

Thor shrugged and gave her a nod. "I will drop them off later. Do you wish for Loki to know of this?"

"No." she stated sternly. "Our little secret." 

****

Thor was confused but nevertheless, he had agreed to give Ragni what she had asked for. Although, he could not figure out what in the world she would need Loki's muzzle and handcuffs for regarding science? He decided he would call Jane and just ask. If anyone would know, it would be her.

"Hello?" Jane answered quickly, as if she was extremely busy.

"Jane!" Thor exclaimed. 

"Oh hey!" Thor could hear her taking a seat over the phone. "What's up? I thought you were coming by later?"

"Oh, I am, I just have a-" he paused. -"Odd question." 

"Okay."

"So what would one need handcuffs and a muzzle for in the name of science?"

Silence. 

"Jane?" 

"Thor, why are you asking me this?" Jane muttered uneasily. 

"Well, I saw Ragni earlier and she asked me for such items, and said it was for science. I am just confused." he explained.

"Ragni, as in Loki's girlfriend?" 

"Yes, that is the one." Thor smiled. 

More silence. 

"Thor..."

"Yes." 

"I'm hanging up now."

"Jane, you did not answer my question!" Thor was slightly hurt. Why would she ignore him and just simply hang up??

"Thor!!" Jane exasperated.

"Yes?"

"Think really hard." She was trying to be very patient right now.

Even more silence.

"For the love of Norns...." Thor gasped, wide eyed. 

"You get it now?" Thor stated he did. "This is awkward. I'll see you tonight. Goodbye, Thor."

"Bye." Thor hung up and just started off into space for a while, seeing horrible images in his head, and he was sure he'd have to scrub his brain with bleach to forget them. Dropping off said items, was going to be really weird now that Thor knew what she had intended to use them for _._ He shook his head and started laughing. _May the Gods help you, brother._

No wonder they were together. They were definitely a match made in Hell. 


	27. Party Favors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's party-time! 
> 
> & Loki gets a surprise at the end.

It was almost time for the dance and Ragni was a nervous wreck.   
  
After Thor had stopped by, she had broke into Loki's room while he was still gone, and hid the contents in a spot she was sure he wouldn't look. As long as the telepathy didn't come back tonight, she'd be okay. Though, in case it did, Ragni would have to be sure she kept her mind off of her plans or she would never get the chance to fulfill them. She had been planning this for months, and she was going to casually suggest that they stay in Loki's room tonight. Ragni wondered if Loki even remembered the deal he made all those months ago.

_His chambers, my rules..._

She was positive Loki was going to kill her, but she had also decided it would be worth it.

Loki showed up just a few minutes before seven, and boy, did he look delicious. His black suit looked even better on him than it had at the store, and he had his hair slicked back like he used to wear it; like when he had invaded New York. He didn't style that way very often anymore. Loki was still particular, but he let it flow more casually now on a usual day. 

"My darling, you looking amazing." He beamed, pulling her in for a kiss. Ragni wore her hair lose and she had curled it, applied way too much makeup, and had black heals to match her dress.

"Thank you, baby. You ready?"

"Of course." he purred, taking her arm in his. "Are you worried?"

"Yes. Tony is going to embarrass us, I just know it."

Loki chuckled. "He can try." 

 

When they arrived downstairs, Tony had definitely went all out. The living room, kitchen, and pretty much the entire floor was a dance floor now, with an open bar (of course), ridiculous looking decorations, and loud music. Ragni had to admit, Tony could throw a hell of a party if he wanted to. There were a few people that had not showed up yet, Thor, Jane, and Darcy mostly, but everyone else seemed to be here. Ragni saw Clint standing in the corner by himself looking lost, and her heart dropped. She hadn't thought about that fact Clint was going to see her and Loki together. Also, everything was all weird now.

Loki had apparently caught on to why she was so nervous. "He will not bother you." he assured her. "He's afraid of me anyway." Loki didn't hide the smirk, or the fact that he was pleased by the information.

"I should go talk to him." Loki growled. "Loki..."

"I trust you, it's-" Loki nudged his head towards Clint. "-him I don't trust."

"It's a crowded room, what is he going to do?" Loki rolled his eyes. "You know I'm right, Loki." 

"Perhaps." he finally gave in. "Fine, but make it quick."

 

"Clint?" 

He looked at her sadly, then twitched uncomfortably. "I don't know if it's wise for you to be talking to me." he warned. 

"It's fine." She looked over towards Loki, who was giving Clint the death stare. "He's okay. Clint, listen-"

"Ragni, don't. I don't wanna hear it. I get it now. You love him and he loves you..." Clint sighed. "I ruined everything, and for that I'm sorry."

"Yeah you did." Ragni shook her head. "I would say it's okay, but it isn't."

"I know."

"You know we can't..." she trailed, and Clint nodded in understanding. He knew they could never be friends again, at least, not like they were. "I'm sor-" 

"I just hope he treats you well. You know, since he's a reformed criminal in all. I guess psychopaths are just your preferred type!" Clint spat, before storming off.

Apparently, he wasn't handling this well. 

Ragni was about to chase him down and yell at him, because dammit, he knew damn well that wasn't Loki's fault, but Tony had already intervened by grabbing her arm. "Whoa, there, Shorty." he cautioned. "Just let it go. He's hurt and he's angry."

Well, he wasn't wrong about that. 

"I know, but he doesn't have to be a jerk! It's not my fault he decided to let me know he liked me way too damn late!"

"Would it have really mattered?" Tony asked.

"No." she answered honestly. "I just don't feel that way for Clint. Never have." 

"It's not your fault. You love who you love."

Ragni looked over at Loki, who was heading her way and smiled. "Isn't that the truth."

 

A few hours had passed, and the party was really getting started now. Ragni and Loki danced and she drank, though, Loki cut her off after the fourth shot. "Give it to me!" she yelled at Loki, after he had stole her fifth vodka shot. 

"I don't think so." he told her sternly. "I'm not holding your hair back again all night. Remember what happened the last time you got drunk?"

Yeah....that hadn't been a good night. 

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Fine, fine! Drink it." Loki smirked, took the shot, then made a horrible face.

"This is awful." he gagged. 

"It's vodka."

"It's dreadful." he choked. "How do you drink this stuff?"

"Using my mouth." she grinned. 

"I believe we can find other uses for your mouth, other than drinking this terrible drink you Midgardians call alcohol." Ragni bit her bottom lip. "Stop that, unless you plan on leaving now." he threatened. 

She giggled. "We can't leave yet. Tony hasn't embarrassed us."

"Perhaps he won't do anything." Loki pointed out. 

"Let's hope so." she giggled. Ragni was feeling pretty good right now. She was drunk, but not overly drunk. Good thing too... 

"Ladies and gentleman." Tony had a mic and he was shitfaced. Oh gods, this wasn't good. "I just wanted to say t-thank you to a-all of you....w-who came out t-tonight." he hiccuped, then grinned. "So, I had this e-event in honor of those t-two-" he pointed to Ragni and Loki, who were now attempting to hide in their seats. "-and I-I just wanted to do s-something, special...for them..g-guys." He motioned with a wave of his hand, insinuating for them to come out to the middle of the room, which was now conveniently empty.

"NO!" Ragni whined, loudly. "Don't do this to us!" 

"Anthony...don't you dar-" Loki attempted to threaten, but Tony wasn't having it.

"D-Don't make me drag you t-two out here. It's okay, S-nofake. I'll just t-tell everyone about what we t-talked ab-"

"OKAY!" Loki shouted, making Ragni jumped. What the hell was that about? "Let's go, darling."  
  
Loki dragged her into the middle of the "dance floor" and as much as they both wanted to RUN out of the room and/or kill Tony, they didn't.

I mean, they had expected this....

"I just wanted to p-play you two a s-song before you left tonight, and y-yes, you _have_ to d-dance."

"AWE!" Thor cooed from...somewhere?

"Shut up, brother." Loki growled.

Ragni was pretty sure Loki wanted to kill Thor too while he was at it, but when the song came on he didn't hesitate, and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him for a slow dance. "Everyone is staring, aren't they?" she whispered, with her face buried in his chest.

"Yep." She groaned and Loki chuckled. "What song is this?" 

"It's called, 'Can't help falling in love with you.'" Ragni had to admit, Tony was a sappy fucker. 

Loki smiled. "Well, isn't that the truth." he kissed her. "I don't care who is watching. I just enjoy being here with you."

Ragni hugged him and they finished their dance, getting loud, embarrassing claps and cheers from everyone. Well, _mostly_ everyone. Clint and Natasha still weren't fans, but she didn't care. She loved Loki, that's all that mattered to her.

"Can we go now? That was enough for me." she pleaded. Ragni really wasn't much of a people person.

"Of course, darling. I'm ready to take you against the wall anyway." he purred.

_That's what you think...._

"Can we stay in your room tonight?" Ragni batted her eyes. "I like your bed better." It wasn't a lie, Loki did have a super comfortable bed. 

"Of course, pet." Loki replied. "Whatever you wish."

 

When they had walked into Loki's room, he had attempted to tear her dress off first thing, but she stopped him immediately. "Uh uh." she smirked, and Loki glared at her. He was obviously not expecting her to refuse sex. "I have other plans."

"Is that right?" He questioned her, raising a brow. "And what is it that you have in mind, hm?"

She hummed. "I've actually got a present for you." she gleamed. "Sit on the bed, and I'll grab it."

Loki was skeptical, but did what she had asked and as she was getting what she needed, she starting speaking. "So, do you remember that one time we were sitting on my couch and you made it a point to declare that when we were in my room, it was my room, your rules?" She didn't give him time to answer. "Or the fact, that you swore under oath that when I was in your chambers, it was your room, _my_ rules?" She turned her head to look him him and Loki was looking nervous now. Ragni gave him a wicked grin and turned her body this time, revealing the muzzle and cuffs. If Loki hadn't already been sitting down, she was sure he would have hit the floor.

She's also pretty sure she heard him swallow. Or was that a choking noise?

"Ragni..." he pleaded, wide eyed. She knew what he was silently asking her.

"Uh uh. You owe me for a month of pain." she reminded him. "This is payback." 

Loki knew he was in serious trouble now.

"There will be no magic tonight. So when I say strip, I mean strip. The old fashioned way." she warned, then gave him another wicked smile.

"Now. Strip."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loki is in troubbbbble! D:
> 
> AND, hopefully the dance wasn't too corny. xD I also, laughed the entire time writing Tony's "speech."  
> Yes, I'm the loser who laughs at her own jokes.... bahaha 
> 
> (I also meant to misspell Loki's nickname) Snofake... xD


	28. Submit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO- I redid this.  
> I knew it was rushed, so for those who read it already- I added to it.
> 
> Thank you, Moos. I'd rather you'd be honest and tell me it's rushed than...not. xD  
> I wasn't happy with it before, so I should have waited and got it right the first time.

Loki was now bound to the bed; handcuffed, muzzled, and nude. Ragni hovered above him watching the sad look in his eyes as he silently pleaded for her to reconsider. She almost felt guilty, but she knew she had no real intentions of hurting Loki, or degrading him. She honestly wasn't sure what was going through his head right now and actually wished for once the damn mind reading would kick in. 

"Loki." she began soothingly. "Listen, I have no idea what's going on in your head right now, but it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

Loki closed his eyes and let out a muffled, shuddered breath. If he was trying to speak, she couldn't tell.

"I won't make you wear this very long." She gently stroked his muzzle. "I just think you look hot in it." Loki rolled his eyes. _There we go._    
Ragni giggled. "What? You've got to admit, this thing is sexy." Loki was not amused; he was giving her the death glare now.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I'll get started now." She winked and crawled down his body, licking and sucking on his chest and stomach as she worked her way down. When she got to his thighs, she could hear Loki struggling with the cuffs and his body shuddered. Ragni made sure to avoid the one area Loki wanted her most for a long as possible. If she could understand him right now, she was positive he was cursing her out.

"What's wrong, love?" Ragni smiled. "What do you want?" Loki growled and said....something...  
"Right. Muzzle..."  
So Ragni gave Loki what she knew he wanted. She slowly took his length into her mouth and moved her head up and down at a torturous pace, swirling her tongue around the tip of his head, but every time Loki was almost about to come-she would stop. Loki was shaking all over and panting after thirty minutes of stalling. Ragni was also pretty sure she was getting cussed out again. She crawled back up his body and removed the muzzle. She figured it had been long enough. 

Plus, how could Loki beg if he couldn't speak?

"RAGNI!" Loki yelled. He was so mad. So, so mad.

"What's wrong, dear?" she smirked. "You look flustered."

"Ragni, I swear to GODS if you do not-"

"What?" Ragni raised a brow. "What are you going to do? You're all tied up and with Asgardian cuffs." she gleamed. "I'm the only one with the power to take them off. So, you'd better play nice." She leaned down and took his bottom lip with her teeth. "What do you want, Loki?" 

He growled and clenched his fists around the cuffs, shaking his head. "Oh, come on. Just tell me. _Beg for me_." She suddenly slid herself onto his length, but stilled once he was fully submerged in her. She really hoped he begged soon, because she wasn't sure she wouldn't be the one to fold now.

She was torturing Loki, but she was also torturing herself. How the hell did he do this and not explode?   
Ragni moved up and down one time, moaning in the process. She gave him a wicked grin. "You know what you have to do, Loki."  
  
"No..." Loki spat, stubbornly. "I do _not_ submit."

"Oh, but you will if you want to come." She moved again. "I'm so wet for you too, baby. Don't you want to feel my wet cunt fuck you?"  
Loki tightened his jaw, closing his eyes. It wouldn't be long now.  
"Come on, baby." She licked his lips. "Beg for me."

Loki shook his head again; stubborn as a mule. "Fine, I'll just get up then." She acted as if she was going to get off of him, but Loki shouted, "NO!"

She stopped, sinking back down on him. "What, baby? What do you want?"

"You..." he whispered. "Ragni..." Loki bit his lip. "....please." 

"Mm? I didn't hear you, my love."

"PLEASE, RAGNI! PLEASE!" Loki's voice broke as he finally gave in. 

Ragni leaned down passionately kissed him as she started to ride him relentlessly. She gripped onto his arms and slide her hands up until she had a hold of his wrists in order to move herself harder and faster. Loki was losing it; he was shaking all over, moaning, panting, and she could feel the backs of his heels digging into the bed. It didn't take him very long to come, and hard, gasping and moaning the sexiest moans Ragni had ever heard, and she wasn't aware it was possible for Loki's moans to get any hotter, but he'd proved her wrong. Once again. She came right after, and she didn't stop moving until she was sure both of their orgasms had been ridden out.

She leaned up and placed her hands on the cuffs, retracting them back to their original state, freeing Loki. Whether or not that was a good idea she would soon find out. Loki gripped her hips and flipped them over and she squealed. Loki was still pretty angry, but it was more playful now. Ragni knew she was going to pay for that little stunt.

"You." Loki snarled. "Are in so much trouble, _little girl._ "

"Hey, I'm not the one who agreed-"

"Have you been planning that all this time?" Loki asked, bewildered, cutting her off.

"Kinda, sorta. I didn't have the lady balls to try it back then." she smirked. "I know I'm going to be punished, but at least I know now you like me and don't actually want to kill me, or won't."

"Oh, what makes you so sure about that, pet?" Loki smirked, then used his magic to bind her to the bed. _Oh shit._  
"Now. I will punish _you_." 

Ragni gulped. What was he going to do? Loki smiled and closed his eyes as if he was concentrating, then slowly slid his hands up and down her bare chest. She shrieked when she realized his hands were cold. ICE cold. "Loki?!" 

"Shhhh, darling. No speaking." He twisted and gripped at her nipples and she cried out. 

"How are you so fucking cold!" 

"Jotun, remember, love?" Loki smirked. "I know we've never really talked about that, but-" He inserted two fingers inside her and Loki's cold fingers were almost too much to handle. 

"Oh, my God, LOKI!!" He used his thumb to rub over her clit as he fucked her with his fingers.

"Too cold, darling?"

 _YES!_ "NO!" she gasped. "Don't stop, PLEASE, DON'T STOP!" 

"Begging already, darling?" Loki scolded her. "I thought you had more restraint than that."

"FUCK!" She fell apart, gushing against his fingers and Loki took this as an invitation to swirl his tongue against her clit and lap up her juices. She was surprised he was nice enough to let her come so quickly. 

"Now that isn't much of a punishment, now is it?" Loki realized, frowning. "I enjoyed your screaming so much, I had forgotten." He rolled her over onto her stomach and pulled her up by her hips and slammed into her. Ragni realized the bindings worked no matter what position she was in. Only Loki could move her. Even her legs were bound.

"I let you move your legs!" she exclaimed as he pounded into her. "Ahh-why can't I, FUCK, move?"

"Because I don't want you to move, pet." Loki simply explained. "You are bound by magic and completely at my will." He slammed into her harder and she cried out. "You should have known better than to pull that little stunt."

"Oh, god! Oh, god!" Ragni couldn't barely concentrate on what Loki was saying. He was fucking her so hard and good right now. "Loki!"  He smacked her ass, then gripped both her hips so hard she was sure she was going to be bruised tomorrow, but she didn't care. God, how she didn't fucking care. "Harder!"

Loki chuckled. "Darling, I want to punish you, not break you." he pointed out, but he pulled her into his thrusts so he'd go deeper. 

"FUCK!!!" Ragni came again, harder, and she lost her voice from screaming so loud. Loki never let up on his thrusts. He just kept pounding into her and she couldn't tell when her last orgasm ended and a new one started.  
This was her punishment. She'd kept him from coming, so he was forcing her to come again and again, until it was almost painful.  

When Loki finally came after what felt like fifty orgasms Ragni was relieved, but when he flipped her over and shoved himself back inside her-she knew her punishment wasn't over yet. "Oh, darling. Did you think we were done?" he smirked. "Best prepare yourself. You're in for a long, long night." he growled and then began to ravage her mercilessly. 

 _Shit!_  
  
And this was when Ragni knew-she had fucked up.


	29. Life goes on

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized the first time I posted this-it was only like 900 words.
> 
> It's still a little short, but next chapter should make up for that. ;)

"Loki!" Ragni whimpered. "Please.."

"Please what, darling?" Loki purred, thrusting into her once more.

"I c-can't handle anymore." It had been hours and Loki had yet to let up. Ragni was exhausted and beyond done-though, it had been the best sex she'd ever had in her entire life. 

"You know how to make it stop." he reminded her. "I've already told you, hours ago." he smirked. "Are you sure you want me to stop?" 

"Fuck." Well, maybe just _one_ more time... 

Loki had her wrists pinned above her head with one hand; he'd finally allowed her to move around, and he was sitting up on his knees slowly pumping into her. Gently, he placed his other hand around her throat.  
"Are you going to come for me again, my little slut?"  
Ragni moaned. _Yes, yes, GOD YES!_ If there was one thing Loki should have been named the god of, it should have been the _God of Sex_. As Ragni came again, Loki applied more pressure against her throat-not enough to cut off her air supply, or hurt her, but just enough to make her orgasm that much more intense. She wouldn't want for days after this. Loki came again shortly after, chuckling in her ear. 

"Are you finished now, pet?" 

"Y-yes." Ragni whimpered again, finally caving.  

"Say it." he demanded. "I want to hear you say it."

Ragni bit her lip. "You are in control." 

"That's right. Who is the dominate one here?" Loki kissed the area of her neck where his hand had just been wrapped around her throat.

"You are." she smiled.

"And who is the submissive one?" 

"I am."

"That's right pet.  _Never_ forget that." 

* * *

Things were good for a while, for everyone. Even Clint was starting to perk up a bit, though, he and Ragni didn't speak unless it was work related. The Avengers were content for once in their lives. They had also just successfully retrieved Loki's scepter from HYRA, where Tony and Bruce kept it 'safe' in the lab. Loki had opted to stay out of that mission entirely and claimed he didn't want anywhere near the _Glow Stick of Destiny_ , as Tony loved to call it, and to give it to Thor to take back to Asgard.

If only they had listened. 

The night Ultron attacked was a stressful night, for many parties involved. After realizing Tony had used the Scepter for his work Thor was none too pleased and Loki almost lost his mind with rage, claiming Tony was an idiot and he couldn't understand how someone so smart could be so stupid. Things went downhill from there.

The trip to see Astrid had been postponed, though, Loki and Ragni were used to the telepathy (that was consistent now), learning that there were no secrets between them and that they were both better off to be honest right away, because there was no hiding. So Loki's anger with Tony and Ragni's pity collided from time to time, but they learned to deal with it and Loki even got over his anger with Tony, seeing how guilty he clearly felt about the whole ordeal.

That was until they created Vision, but Tony had been right this time and since he could lift the hammer of Thor-they could trust him. They defeated Utron in the end and had collected a couple new Avengers to the group. Vision and Wanda. Wanda had been the enemy at first, but once she had aided them in battle Clint had told her if she helped them she was one of them. An Avenger. Ragni was skeptical of the witch at first, but soon realized her being in the tower was probably one of the best things to have happened in a long time.

Clint like Wanda and Wanda liked Clint. It didn't take long for them to start dating and he even smiled and said hi to Ragni without resentment. He had finally moved on and for that she was glad.   
Loki and Ragni were preparing to _finally_ head to Alfhiem to speak with Astrid. She was ecstatic to see another world, but not so ecstatic to meet Astrid. Loki had assured her they would get along, but she wasn't too sure. Loki was possessive, but Ragni had also been called overly possessive before by others so she wondered how this was going to work, but she would try. For Loki she would try. 

They figured since things seemed to be getting back to order they could leave for a couple of weeks and not be missed. They'd barely been gone two hours before things with the Avengers began to stir.

HYDRA was back and they had a weapon; his name was Bucky Barnes.

* * *

"Holy shit!" Ragni exclaimed. "That was a rush! Can we do that again!"

Loki chuckled. "Yes, but on the way home."

Ragni gasped as she took in the scenery around here. Alfheim was beautiful. No, that was an understatement. "How long until we get to Astrids?"

"An hour by horse."

 _Horse?!_ Ragni glared at him. She didn't even need to say it, since Loki could hear her concerns. 

"You will be fine. It's just a horse. You have them on Midgard."

"Yeah, but horses are big and scary!" Ragni froze. "I mean, um..."

Loki looked at her bewildered. "You, frightened of horses?" he chuckled. "Of all the things, I never expected horses."

"They're huge!" Ragni groaned. "I don't like them. Can we just walk?"

"Are you aware how long that will take?" Loki shook his head. "You can ride on my horse with me and I will protect you from the big bad monster." he winked.

"Oh, shut up!" she giggled. "Don't make fun of me."

"Come darling, we have a long ride ahead of us." Loki took her hand and pulled her towards the stables. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is taking place during the AOU/WS/CW timeline. So new characters will appear.


	30. Here we go again

**Various POV**

Loki made Ragni's riding experience more pleasant than she had expected. She was also overtaken by the scenery around her. There were so many strange plants and flowers, trees and wildlife and Loki was actually willing to explain what everything was to her excitement. Loki seemed amused by it all, but he answered all her questions. Anything to see those beautiful eyes light up.

When they finally approached Astrids, Loki could tell Ragni was more tense now.

"It'll be alright, love." Loki told her, helping her off the horse.

Ragni didn't agree, but she nodded anyway and decided to trust him. "Is she expecting us?"

"She is, though, she hasn't the slightest clue as to why. Astrid was rather surprised when I contacted her, but she is excited to meet you."

Loki led her to the front porch and to her surprise he didn't even knock. He opened the door to walk in and Ragni grabbed his arm. "Shouldn't we knock?"

"I have never knocked before, darling. Why start now." he shrugged and continued inside. "Astrid?"

"Loki!" a high pitched scream replied.

Ragni almost hit the floor when she saw Astrid. She was _so pretty_ and her eyes were the brightest blue she'd ever seen. Ragni had expected to feel jealous, but not self conscious. What the hell did Loki see in her when he could have....THAT??

"And this must be the famous Ragni I've heard so much about." the elf smiled. Ragni swallowed. She couldn't even talk. "Loki, is your mortal broken?" Ragni furrowed her brows and Astrid laughed. "Joke, dear."

Right. Joke.

"Ragni?" Loki raised a brow. _'Darling, what is wrong?'_

_'You didn't tell me how fucking hot she was Loki! Why would you even-'_

_'Finish that thought and I will be forced to punish you.'_ he warned. _'Ragni, I don't want her-'_

_'But why? I don't get it-'_

_'I don't understand why you think I would!'_

_'LOOK AT HER LOKI!'_

Astrid was confused. Loki and Ragni were staring at each other and their facial expressions read as if they were having a conversation, yet, neither of them were speaking.

_'Ragni, please, trust me when I say I have no interest in her!'_

_'I can't help it Loki! I didn't expect her to be so pretty.'_

_'Darling, I love you, please stop with this nonsense.'_

"Am I missing something here?" Astrid exclaimed, raising her brows. 

Loki sighed. "One moment, Astrid. I'm trying to convince my girlfriend here that I am only interested in you as a friend."

Ragni choked out a squeak. _'THANKS A LOT!'_

"Wait-did you just say you were...having a conversation?" Astrid blinked. 

"Side-effect."

"Of what?"

"The spell." Loki shrugged, then focused back on the problem at hand. _'Ragni, am I going to have to take you outside and spank you?'_

Ragni glared at him. _'You wouldn't dare!'_

_'Try me.'_

"Wait, that isn't a side effect!" Astrid realized once it hit her. 

"It is if you're Soulmates." Loki grinned, and Asrids eyes grew wide.

"No." 

"Yes."

"Seriously?!" Astrid shrieked. "You aren't joking?"

"I do not deceive you this day." 

"Prove it." 

Loki rolled his eyes. _'Ragni, we will discuss more of this later.'_

_'If we must.'_

"Astrid, whisper something in my ear and Ragni will repeat it."

"Okay." She walked up to Loki and put her hand to his ear and whispered. 

_'She said, your girlfriend is too cute.'_

Ragni scoffed. "CUTE! I am NOT CUTE!"

Astrid's mouth dropped open. "Wow. You really are serious."

"Deadly."

 

"I just don't get it." Astrid had invited Loki and Ragni to sit with her on the couch while Loki explained the new side effect they were experiencing. "Do you know how rare this is?"

"I assumed as much when you told me it was impossible, only to find out it was very possible." Loki scolded.

"Sorry, I didn't think...I haven't heard of this in centuries, Loki. Seriously. This is big."

"How big?" Ragni asked.

"I'll need to make a trip, but I'll let you know." Astrid sighed. "Gods, I hope I can find the original spell. Are there any other effects?"

"Not as of yet." Loki pulled Ragni closer against him and nibbled on her ear. He could tell she was still feeling out of place, as well as self conscious, so he wanted to give her more reassurance. 

"Well, I'll get on that, but I assume your girlfriend here would actually like to explore the place?" she suggested.

"Actually, yeah, that would be cool." _Why can't you speak without sounding like an idiot?_

_'Ragni!'_

_'Sorry..'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may be taking a slight break from this fic.
> 
> I know what I WANT to do-but getting there I haven't figured out, so bear with me. :)


	31. Back to Midgard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Ragni return home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For now-I'm using all POV. It's just easier. If I'm being specific I'll specify. :D

_'Turn left, then tell me what you see.'_

_'I see a bridge, over a river.'_

_'Cross the bridge and take a right, you will see a cave. Hide there.'_

_'Loki, I hate this, why can't I just-'_

_'I SAID HIDE!'_

_'Fine!'_

Ragni rolled her eyes and ran towards the bridge, taking a right and it wasn't long before she found the cave. Fire Giants were attacking Alfheim and Loki had demanded her to run while he and Astrid, along with other warriors went to help defend the city. She knew Loki could handle himself, but it still worried her. The worst part was he wouldn't even let her fight, instead demanding she run. Although, they were fucking ridiculously huge and she didn't have her weapon. Loki was probably right; this was not her fight. 

_'I'm here, please tell me you are okay.'_

_'I'm fine, love. Just stay hidden. I'll tell you when to come out. Alert me if you see anything. ANYTHING!'_

_'Okay, okay. Calm down and kill things.'_

_'Already on it.'_

She could hear the smirk in his voice even in her mind and she couldn't help but laugh. Ragni and Astrid had been driving Loki crazy the past four weeks, they had actually become good friends, so she was aware Loki was probably having the time of his life right now fighting and killing things. She was sure he needed away from the constant girl talk-about him. She was also positive Loki was ready to choke them both to death.

They had actually been planning on returning home today, only to be interrupted by the Giants. Astrid was also planning a trip to find the original source of the bond spell, mostly now more out of curiosity than anything. It was done, nothing was going to change it, but she guessed it never hurt to know things. Ragni sat around for about thirty minutes, feeling angrier and angrier the longer she had to sit there. Loki could have very well conjured her up a weapon. She could have fought those creatures just fine. She began to wonder if it was going to be this way from now on. She'd admit that she had a bad track record for almost dying on him in battle. And as possessive and protective as Loki was she was sure they were going to be butting heads again. Tony had been bad enough, but she understood to an extent why Loki had been so angry, but Tony was only trying to help. Even if he did stupidly use the Scepter...

She'd been there; in his shoes before. She had fucked up on numerous occasions and Tony needed a friend. Thankfully Loki had forgiven him, even after Vision. Both Loki and Ragni agreed he was an odd character, but trustworthy. 

_'You can come back now. It's safe. We can return home.'_

_'You know, I'm just as capable of fighting as you are, and I'm not a child! You shouldn't have made me run! I've been doing this since before I met you!'_ She scowled in her mind, huffing and stomping out of the cave back towards the bridge. 

_'I know that, but need I remind you that you are also not very careful while I am around? I would have been too focused on protecting you and probably gotten myself killed. Or vice-versa. We need to work on that, or it will be the death of us.'_

_'Asshole.'_

Dammit. She knew Loki was right. 

_'I'm serious.'_

_'Yeah, yeah, I know. But you're still an asshole.'  
_

* * *

When they finally made it back to Stark Tower, they learned they had missed a lot over the past several weeks. There was a new threat and according to Tony, Steve was protecting him. He also let it slip that this man, Bucky, killed his parents. They learned Bucky was working with HYDRA and everyone was now at odds due to a war between The Avengers; only Vision remained by Tony's side. The rest had left to join Steve. Tony had wanted order; the rest disagreed and evidently left; breaking the law in the process and was now wanted by the authorities. Ragni and Loki were glad they had been gone during this entire mess. Thankfully for Thor, he had also been absent attending to matters in Asgard. "So SHIELD is gone too? No more work?" Ragni grinned. 

Tony shrugged, downing a bottle of scotch. "I guess. Who knows. We're out of business as of now, so you all don't have to hang around." 

"This is our home." Ragni countered. She had never seen Tony so down in the dumps. Even during the Ultron disaster, he wasn't this bad off. "We're staying here."

"Though I do not agree with order, I will not abandon you Stark." Loki decided. Tony was nice to talk to and he also knew too much... 

Too much about him.

"Thanks guys, you're the best."

 

"Well, we leave for a month and everything goes to shit. Must be Tuesday." Ragni laughed, searching through the refrigerator for a snack. "You want anything babe?"

"I'm fine." Loki replied, subconsciously licking his lips as he stared at Ragni's tight ass that was bent over in the fridge. He was tempted to take her right here in the kitchen, but Vision walked in just as he was deciding. 

"Hello, Loki, Ragni. I assume you have spoken with Stark?" he asked carefully, just in case he was mistaken.

"Oh yeah." She told him, sitting down at the table beside Loki and chowing down on a piece of watermelon. "We're not taking sides, since we weren't here, but we are going to stick around. Tony I think needs us more than Steve and the rest of them. Though, I can't figure out why he would help a villain." Loki cleared his throat and glared at her. "Hey, you don't count. You were brainwashed and all that." she shrugged. 

"If this Bucky was a HYDRA experiment which is likely, I'm not so sure the same wasn't done to him." 

"What do you know of HYDRA?" 

"Enough." He didn't elaborate. At all.

"I love how much detail you use to explain things to me." she groaned sarcastically, and Loki chuckled. 

"Do not worry about HYDRA, they won't be around much longer. Eventually this will blow over and we'll stop them."

"I am not so sure. Stark is...not handling this well." Vision stated, joining them at the kitchen table. He wanted to get to know the duo better since they had left shortly after he was...born? He knew they were lovers and that they were always together, but aside from that he didn't know much. They fought well together, he noticed, as long as they weren't distracted worrying about the other. 

"If he can forgive me, he can forgive Steve and this Bucky character."

"Yeah, but Loki you didn't kill his parents." Ragni pointed out. "How would you feel, if it were your mother?"

That he couldn't argue with. It wouldn't matter. Loki would destroy them if he hadn't done so already. Perhaps this disagreement between The Avengers would last longer than he thought. Loki at least hoped if it came down to it, they would at least work together. 

 

Ragni and Loki were now back in her room, putting their things away when she had a thought. "Loki, are you ever going to show me what you really look like?"

Loki was in the bathroom, putting away things that belonged in there when he heard her question. ' _Never.'_ he thought automatically. "I don't know." he groaned, really not wanting to have this conversation. 

"I heard that!" Ragni stopped what she was doing and leaned against the bathroom door, watching Loki as he awkwardly pretended to put things he already put away, away again. "Loki, what are you afraid of? Are you really never going to show me?"

"I'm a monster, I don't wish to hear what you truly think of me. And I will know how you really feel, even if you don't want to feel or think a certain way, I will still know."

"What do you think I'm going to think, Loki? It can't be that bad, and you're still you!" She tried to convince him, wrapping her arms around his waist with his back pressed against her chest, resting her chin against the middle of his back. She would have gone for the shoulder, if she wasn't so damn short.

"I just want to know you better. We've been together for almost a year and I still don't know hardly anything about you."

"I could say the same for you."

"Fine, then I'll tell you whatever you want to know. You just have to ask. Loki, listen to me, _I love you_ , no matter what you look like. You could be a big purple dinosaur for all I care and I would still love you."

"Are you seriously comparing me to Barney?" He drawled, furrowing his brows. 

"Wait, you actually know who that is-that isn't the point. Stop changing the subject." she groaned, narrowing her eyes at him even though he couldn't see her. "I want to see you. Please?"

Loki sighed. He knew he was going to have to show her eventually, he just wished it wasn't so soon. What if she was repulsed by him? He wasn't sure how he would take it. At least she couldn't try and lie; he would know otherwise. More so now being able to hear her thoughts.

"If that is what you want, fine. I'll show you. But I get to know some things about you as well."

"Deal." 

 _I can do this_... _it's going to be okay... She loves you. Remember that; no matter what._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, it's been a minute since I've watched WS and CW, so if I'm off slightly-just go with it.... xD I'd meant to rewatch it, but never had the chance and you all have already waited a month for an update....so....here ya go!


	32. A Monster; this is who I really am

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki shows Ragni his true self.  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't apologize for the smut.

Ragni watched an apprehensive Loki pace back and forth in the room. She waited patiently, knowing this was not something that was going to be easy for him. She could feel the fear and dread pouring off of him through her own senses, but she didn't comment on it. They were his emotions and he had every right to feel that way considering how he was treated by Odin and how he was raised to hate the very thing he was. Loki didn't talk about his past, but it didn't mean past memories didn't run through his mind along with unwanted thoughts. Ragni felt bad for hearing them, but it wasn't like she could control it and he had just as much access to her mind. As much as she wanted to feel confident about seeing Loki's true form she couldn't help but feel weary. She knew she would still love him, but knowing he could hear her first reaction worried her. What if she didn't react the way she hoped? The way he hoped. Being such a sensitive subject, reacting badly even just for a split second would not go well or unnoticed.

"Just another moment. I've never tried to do this willingly, so it's taking me longer than I had anticipated." he muttered, becoming more and more anxious the longer this dragged on.

"Take your time." 

Loki continued to pace back and forth with clammy hands clenched tight against his sides when he started to feel the change. Finally, he'd figured it out. Stopping to turn towards Ragni, he watched her mouth drop open and her eyes widen as he shifted into his true blue form.

_A Monster. This is who I really am..._

Watching Loki transform, Ragni shivered as the room temperature dropped, considerably so, literally seeing frost pouring off her lover while he gazed at her with a half blank, half panicked stare. Loki's pale skin now radiated a blue hue that came with a pattern of markings that appeared on his face. His once emerald eyes shifted to a dark, ruby red and she couldn't help but find herself mesmerized by them. He was still Loki, only blue and even more beautiful than she could have ever imagined. He didn't scare or repulse her. If anything, she wanted to touch him, taste him in his natural state. 

_'He's the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. My god, can he get any more perfect?'_

Loki had expected her to be repulsed, frightened even, but not this. No, he hadn't expected this. 

"You're not repulsed?" He didn't understand. "Not even a little scared?" Everyone feared the Jotuns. "I'm a monster, don't you see?"

"I don't see a monster. I see a beautiful man who needs to accept himself for who he is." 

"I have fangs!" he snarled, baring his pointy fangs in the process. Surely that would deter her.

"So?" she shrugged. If he thought he was going to scare her off that easily he was mistaken. "Your fangs are hot, so is the blue skin, the markings, the eyes. All screams hot to me. I have a Frost Giant kink now, and I know you can hear what I'm thinking." She stepped closer and Loki took a step back. "You know what I want."

"That's absurd, you couldn't possibly truly want that!"

"But I do. You _know_ I do! Stop fighting me. You expected me to react badly, I know that, but guess what? I didn't and you don't know how to take it."

"I-" Well, she wasn't completely wrong. Loki had been prepared for her to react badly. He had expected her to run from him and scream from his hideous form. He hadn't expected her to want to _touch_ him, much less _fuck_ him while in this form.

Ragni attempted to extend a hand to touch Loki's face, but he flinched and backed further away from her.

"Are you insane, woman! Do not touch me! I'll hurt you! Frost Giants burn skin, do you not remember what I've told you?"

"I thought they only did that as a defense mechanism?"

She took another step toward Loki. 

"We don't know that for certain and I refuse use you as a test subject." 

He took another step back.

"Loki, stop this." she pleaded. "Let. Me. Touch you." 

"I'll hurt you." he choked feeling his back hit the wall. Dammit, Ragni had backed him into a corner; literally. "Stop!" Loki was about to teleport when he felt Ragni's warm hand caress his cheek. He slammed his eyes shut and waited for it, but... 

She didn't scream.

She didn't pull back in agony.

Loki slowly opened his eyes, feeling a second hand caress his other cheek. She was smiling at him. She was _touching_ him... _touching him_ and he wasn't hurting her. He felt his chest swell with something unfamiliar, but it wasn't a bad feeling. 

He felt relieved. 

She didn't ask permission to kiss him and it took Loki a second before he gave in and kissed her back; before he gave in and cupped her hips with his hands. He was colder, much colder, but she didn't take the time to care. If anything, it only heightened her arousal for him and the sweet taste that came from his lips and tongue made her weak at the knees. The kiss became rougher, more animalistic and Loki turned, pinning her against the wall that he was just bracing himself against moments ago. "Fuck me." she panted between kisses. " _Please!_ "

"I shouldn't." He couldn't stop kissing her. "Frost Giants are feral..." He couldn't stop touching her. "Animalistic." He wanted her. " _It's dangerous_." He said this out loud, hoping to convince himself but he was failing. Ragni wasn't heeding his warnings either. Instead, she was stripping him naked. "We should stop." Loki knew it was useless. This was happening whether he thought it was a good idea or not. He felt like he should stop, maybe even some part of him wanted to stop, but there was no stopping. _Not now_. The need to be inside her was too strong; lust and desire overriding all other senses. She could feel it too, and she tore off his leathers, appearing to be in as much animalistic need for him as he was for her. 

She noticed his markings where _everywhere-_  all over his body, which only made her want him _more._ Loki was already a masterpiece, but seeing him in his true state stirred something inside her that she didn't know was there. "I trust you." Ragni breathed when she relocated her lips to his neck. "I want you. I trust you. _Please take me."_

"I hope these aren't one of your favorite pairs." Loki purred as he literally ripped her jeans and panties off her body in one swift movement, and she shivered as he slid his hand against her, cupping her wet sex. "So wet, pet." He was growling now, bending his fingers to slide them in while he still had some self control to at least somewhat prepare his lover.  "So delicious." He nipped and licked at her neck since her head had fallen back against the wall, he wasn't going to ignore such easy access, enjoying the pants and moans coming from her sweet mouth. 

"Ahhh, fuck!" Loki's colder temperature reminded her of the night of Tony's party, but it was different; it felt different. This was the full effect and gods did it feel _amazing._ Between Loki finger fucking her and his cold lips and tongue biting and sucking on her neck it wouldn't be long before he brought her to her first orgasm. 

"You're going to come for me now while I still have some self control, and then I'm going to throw you on the bed and _fuck you_ until you _beg me_  to stop. I'm going to fuck that sweet little cunt of yours so hard, you won't be able to sit down for a week."

"Holy shit!" Ragni gasped, coming immediately after Loki's sinful confession he'd just growled in her ear. She hadn't even come down from her high before he set in on his promise, pinning her down on her back with her hands above her head as he fucked her deeper and harder than he ever had before. Ragni was breathless as she came again, and again, barely able to register (but she still noticed) the fact he was even larger in size in his Jotun form. 

Ragni and Loki had had plenty of sex- rough sex, gentle sex, the works. But this, this was on an entire different spectrum, even more outworldly than normal. Other than consciously being aware of the fact Ragni was mortal, Loki had no control. 

She loved that he had no control seeing as she didn't have any either. If she had been able to think about anything other than Loki's hard cock pounding into her, she may have realized she was feeding off of his emotions, being the cause of her behavior. When she had the desire to sink her teeth into his neck, she complied, sending Loki over the edge and into a shuddering, howling release, shooting his cold, thick seed inside her and sending Ragni into another mind blowing orgasm, writhing and trembling underneath him. 

 

Ragni woke up the next morning sore, but sated. Loki was still sleeping beside her curled up against her side with half of his hair covering his face. He hadn't been able to stay in his Jotun form for too long last night considering she was freezing the entire time, (though she wasn't complaining) so after about an hour Loki had converted back to his Aesir form and kept his promise about screwing her until she couldn't sit down for a week.

The thought made her smile as she watched him sleep, looking more at peace than ever. Perhaps he was? Maybe knowing that she loved him for him, no matter what form he took gave him more peace of mind. She couldn't understand how the Frost Giants were supposed to be monsters when Loki was so undeniably beautiful. It broke her heart to think of how much he hated himself when he found out; how scared he must have been. Ragni had never met Odin and for his sake as well as hers, she hoped she never did.

She would not be able to keep her mouth shut. If she had it her way she give that old, mean man a mouthful and then a face full of her fist. The thought was nice even if it could never come true. 

Ragni realized she didn't remember falling asleep last night, meaning Loki fucked her into unconsciousness. She had thought that to be bullshit until she met him, but Loki was always full of surprises. He never failed to keep her on her toes. 

God, how she loved this man beside her. Ragni wanted nothing more than to be with him forever. 

She kissed him on the head before crawling out of bed for a shower. Unknowingly to her Loki had been awake, listening to her thinking. He was skilled at clearing his mind, so she would assume he was still sleeping. He smiled as he snuck a peek at her heading to the bathroom, casting a spell to shield a particular thought from his mind. It was cheating, yes, but Loki wanted this to be a surprise.

It was hard to plan surprises when the person you are planning them for can hear your every thought, so Loki had to get creative. He had been considering this even before Paris; before he came to terms he was _in love_ with this woman. Before it was only a silly thought he would brush off. Then he made the mistake of mentioning it to Tony and gotten lucky he had kept his mouth shut. 

One thing was for certain. Everything had to be _perfect._

For her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, Loki won't forget his end of the deal so next chapter we'll go into Ragni's background. :P


	33. We aren't so different after all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ragni reluctantly tells Loki about her past, which is not pretty, and it sends him on a warpath.  
> In the matter of a two hour time frame, everything has gone-to-shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ragni's background is...sketchy, so be aware when reading. I don't know what warnings to add, so... Yeah.

"You owe me answers." 

"What do you wanna know?" Ragni asked in-between bites. Loki had offered to take her out for lunch so she agreed, it had been way too long since she had gotten to enjoy a good steak.

They sat in a little restaurant next to the window where they could see pedestrians walking along the crowded sidewalks of New York. It was a busy day, being a Friday, so they were pleased to see the restaurant itself wasn't very crowded.

When Loki didn't answer her, she paused to look up and find him studying her with an amused grin plastered on his face.

"What?"

"I do love watching you eat, kitten. Every time, it's as if what you are eating is, in fact, the best thing you have ever eaten. It never fails to amuse me." 

She blinked at him and then scowled. "I like food, we've already been over this. Now stop watching me eat. It's creepy."

"Then I shall make it a point to do it more often." 

Ragni groaned, ignoring the fact that he was _still_ watching her eat and how awkward she felt because of it, and repeated her previous question, "What do you want to know, Loki? I'd rather get this over with." 

"Who are you?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I think you mean, who was I?"

"No, kitten." Loki insisted, settling his hands onto the table and clasping them together as he leaned in. "Who _are you?_ People never truly change, darling."

"Says the guy who was once a supervillain."

"Who says I'm not now?" Loki smirked at her when she scowled at him again, enjoying the fact that he was pushing her buttons. She was so easy to mess with. He also couldn't deny that he got turned on when she was angry at him. The way her eyebrows would furrow, her pointy finger that she insisted served a purpose, and how she stood on her tippy toes when she yelled at him. Ragni was a pretty fierce force to be reckoned with. She could be scary, but of course, Loki was unphased by her anger. He encouraged it more than anything.

"I'm not even going to comment on that. I _was_ ," she emphasized. "A hitman, or well hitwoman I guess in my case, and well that pretty much speaks for itself."

"Who were your preferred targets?"

"Didn't matter. Whoever I was assigned to take out that week." she shrugged and picked at her salad. This was a lot harder than she had expected it to be. It had been a while since she had thought about, much less talked about, her past employment. Her past life. A life that was now nothing but a memory, or in her case a terrible nightmare. She hadn't realized just how screwed up she was until Clint had decided to be her savior and spare her life. Or prison. 

"Anyone?"

"I told you. It didn't matter." Ragni suddenly wasn't hungry anymore.

"Men, women." he paused. "Children?" 

She scratched her eyebrow and shifted around nervously, avoiding eye contact with Loki now. Why did he have to ask that? Some things were just better off forgotten, buried. Suppressed. It wasn't the healthiest of options, but it had worked out in her favor so far. "Yes, even entire families, if that's what I was assigned." she replied sheepishly, still not giving Loki the satisfaction of looking him in the eye. 

"This is difficult for you to talk about." It wasn't a question. It was an observation. Plus, he could feel her panic and anxiety, along with her shame and guilt; her worry. "You need not worry, nor hide from me, Ragni." Loki extended his arm and cupped her chin, lifting it so that she would be forced to meet his eyes. "I accept you for who you are, as you accept me. Your past is what it is. The past."

"Who I was." she corrected. "I could never be that person again. Yes, I would kill if I had to, but I'm not that person anymore. I'm not."

"I believe you." Loki removed his hold from her chin and clasped his hands back together. He waited a few moments before asking, "What was he to you?"

That threw her off guard. _Damn_. Had he really popped up in her thoughts? Her subconscious. She decided this entire mind reading thing was suddenly very, very annoying. 

"Stay out of my head." 

"Can't exactly help it, darling. Answer my question. What was he to you? Eirik." 

Ragni couldn't help but let out a shudder hearing his name. _Eirik Shaw._ It had been so long since she had heard that name or thought about him. She hated herself for how much power she let that man have over her. What she allowed him to make her do. 

"He was my everything." Loki flinched. "But now, I wish I for nothing more than to wipe his memory from my mind. Forget he ever existed and forget that part of my life." Eirik had been her boss as well as her lover, or more she followed him around like a love sick puppy. It wasn't one of her finest moments, but the man was a charmer. Dangerous. Much like Loki, only Eirik was pure evil. Even in Loki's worst moments he hadn't been as cruel and wicked as that man. 

"You loved him." Loki wished he hadn't asked now. Between his own emotions and hers, this wasn't the easiest of conversations to have in a public place. 

"I thought I did." Maybe she had loved him at one point in time, but there was no way she would ever admit it to herself, much less Loki. "He controlled me, manipulated me, _hurt me_." She clenched her fists together to focus on anything but what she was saying. Ragni could see Loki's blood pressure rising from the way his face had turned the delightful shade of red. She could have also sworn she _felt_  him tense. She should have stopped talking, said no more, but couldn't stop her lips from moving. God damn her big mouth.

"He did unspeakable things to me so I pretended to love him, thinking that if he believed I did he would stop. I was doing what I had to do in order to stay alive. Or maybe I was brainwashed, who knows. He didn't, stop, but it wasn't like I could just run away. He owned me in every way. I had no one until Clint..." Ragni froze momentarily and cleared her throat. _Shit._ "The fact I got out, and alive, is a miracle in itself." She had nowhere to go. Her family was gone, she'd been out on her own since she was eleven, and most of all she was tired of running. Tired of fending for herself. Tired of sleeping under bridges in the middle of winter. At the age of fifteen, Eirik had given her something, a home, even if it meant that she had to take his beatings. His venomous words. _His_ _terms_. It was bittersweet. She realizes now that he had used her, and that she had let him, because he knew she needed him. She did. At the time. She use to think she was weak because of the Avengers. It was then, with Eirik, that she was weak. She had been just as bad as he was in her own way, especially towards the end. Ten years with that man. It was a wonder she had any humanity left for Clint to get through to her. Thankfully, she had woken the fuck up.

Maybe she shouldn't have been so brutally honest, because Loki looked like he was about to blow a blood vessel. He was visible shaking and that look in his eye, she knew all too well. Not to mention she could feel him. He was out for blood now.

"Don't even think about it. Leave it alone. I don't know where he is, he doesn't know where I am so just _leave it alone_. I mean it, Loki."

"You expect me to let that man live?" Loki hissed, gripping onto the table top now. Ragni's pretty sure she heard it crack. "You honestly expect me to just _leave it alone_?" 

"It's water under the bridge. There is no point in stirring up old shit for no reason. If he comes around, by all means kill him, but don't you dare go looking for him." She growled. It wasn't that she was trying to protect Eirik,that son of a bitch could die a horrible and brutal death for all she cared, but she didn't want Loki prying into her old life. Drawing attention to himself, or her. It wasn't just Eirik she was worried about. "I don't want you involved or messing around in that part of my life; my past, so just stay out of it."

"You know I cannot promise that." He wouldn't, couldn't. Loki was ready to hunt Eirik down and rip out his insides through his throat.

"Then we have a serious problem." 

She didn't give him a chance to respond before she abruptly stood up and left the restaurant. 

 

"Ragni! Ragni, stop!"

She was being stubborn and hardheaded, she knew it, but she didn't care. Instead, Ragni ignored Loki and continued stomping down the street. She was angry, frustrated, and overall overwhelmed right now. She couldn't tell which emotions were her own and which were Loki's. It was confusing and she wasn't in the mood to be confused.

"RAGNI, _I said stop_!" He decided to stop her himself when she still wouldn't listen, grabbing her arm to halt her movements. "Why are you so angry, why defend him?"

"I'm not! It's not just Eirik I'm worried about. It's an entire organization, kind of like HYDRA with no experiments, only bloodshed. I just don't want you involved, okay. I don't want to chance them getting ahold of you."

"You think me so weak that I cannot say no to an organization of killers?"

"What? No, that's not it at all!" 

"Then what is it!" he pressed, just wanting to understand why he couldn't just go kill that son of a bitch.

"If by some chance they find out who you are, _what you are to me_ , they will kill you. They will kill you to hurt me because I'm-and I quote, _too valuable_ , or at least I was, and I'm not taking the risk that they terminate you instead of me if something happens and they do find me. I know you are more than capable of handling yourself, but you don't know these people, Loki. They will find out everything they can about you, your weaknesses, and they use it against you."

Loki remained unphased to her warnings, but he still felt somewhat insulted that she would think he would be so careless as to get caught. "Have you forgotten who I am? I don't get caught, or allow myself to be caught. I am smarter than that, you know that."

"I know you are careful, but shit happens! Things do go wrong. Anything could happen."

"Not with my plans." Loki attempted to convince her, but she wasn't having it. "If need be, I'll just take them all out." he shrugged. They were mortals. Had Ragni forgotten he was a _God_?

"It's not that simple! Just leave Eirik alone, let it go!"

"Why do you insist on protecting him!" 

"UGH! Just fucking forget it! Go then, if that's what you want to do! Just go!" She jerked away from him and he let her go. Ragni took five steps forward before she stopped, sighed, and decided to apologize for being so crazy. So irrational. He just needed to understand. But when she turned, she found Loki was already gone. 

She hadn't actually meant for him to go... 

"Loki?"

 

Ragni had decided to walk home, relieved that the rural neighborhood she had to cut through was basically vacant. She needed to be alone.

It was the much longer route, but it gave her time to think. Undoubtedly, Loki was off right now in search for Eirik and it made her stomach churn. _Be careful_ , she pleaded in her mind, but received no answer. She hated this. Loki promised he would never leave her again... 

She was snapped out of her self pity when she heard heavy footsteps behind her, and they were coming up on her fast. Ragni stopped and turned, now face to face with a man with empty blue eyes, wearing a tight leather outfit, much like something she or the Avengers would wear as a trademark. She stiffened when she saw his arm, or rather cybernetic limb, and began racking her brain. _Familiar_. He was familiar, but she couldn't place him. She didn't know him, yet, she felt like she did. He was staring her down, studying her with a blank stare, and he had halted his own movements. Both she and the stranger were on guard, ready if the other should so happen to pounce.

"Who are you?" Ragni knew it was probably a stupid question and she would unlikely get an answer, but she still heard it come out of her mouth. He didn't reply, instead, he took a step towards her. "I wouldn't try it." she threatened, now gripping the handle of her dagger that she had attached to her belt. If he attacked, she would be ready. 

"I need you to come with me." He spoke as if he had been programmed, almost robotic. It made her more uneasy than she would like to admit. The man with the metal arm cocked his head to the side as if he was waiting on a response, or for her to comply, she really wasn't sure.

"Not happening, buddy." She managed to keep her voice steady. "I don't know you."

"HYDRA requires your assistance." 

 _HYDRA?_ Then it hit her, who this man was. Wasn't he supposed to be with Steve, on the good side now? Ragni had also been told by Stark that he had severed his arm, yet, there it was. Metal and whole. 

"Bucky?" She whispered it, and he may have heard her if it hadn't been drowned out by the screams of her own name coming from behind.  
_  
"RAGNI! Ragni, get away from him! They got him! You need to run!"_

It was Steve, she realized.

Unfortunately, it also distracted her long enough that she turned to look behind her; a rookie mistake. Ragni barely caught the sight of a running, visibly panicked Steve, before she felt the large, _strong_ pair of arms of Bucky Barnes, grab her from behind and drag her into a nearby alley before she was knocked into unconsciousness. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is appreciated, that way I know I'm not sucking at this. Lmao ;)


	34. "I'll cut you up and make you dinner. You've reached the end, you are the winner."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Tony have a personal conversation and Ragni finds herself not only in the hands of HYDRA, but someone from her past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to wait, but I've been waiting since I started this fic to get to THIS PART of the story, so I may be overly excited. xD

Loki knew Ragni hadn't actually intended for him to leave, but he needed a moment to clear his own head while in the meantime realizing she needed her own space as well. The last thing he needed to do was say something that he may later on regret. He was seething on the inside from what she had confided to him about Eirik and about how he had treated her. He felt guilt of his own thinking back on things he had said and done to her in the past, and how he had treated her as his whore in the beginning. 

However, Loki wasn't used to feeling guilty, so he couldn't pinpoint what emotion he was feeling. He did his best to ignore it.

He used a spell to shield his thoughts and mind from Ragni temporarily, wanting space and time to collect himself. He needed to be rational, patient. Loki needed information on his target before he would strike- no matter how tempting it was to do the opposite. 

Deciding this was the best moment to also talk to Tony and realizing he could kill two birds with one stone, he found himself knocking on Stark's door. Tony liked to hide out in his room and sulk, get drunk, and wallow in his own self pity. Stark had good intentions, he _tried_ to be a good person, and even though Loki hated to admit it he liked the guy. He was entertaining and he could keep up with Loki's snarky and witty insults. He could honestly say Tony was his friend, but of course he would _never_ tell Tony that.

After a few moments, Stark opened the door and his eyes lit up from the sight of Loki; who internally groaned. "Snowflake! It's good to see you. Please, come in. Oh, uh, ignore the mess."

He walked in to find Tony's floor polluted with liquor bottles and fast food trash. Loki scoffed, disgusted. "For the love of Valhalla, have some self respect and clean up this mess." Tony may have been a wreck, but that didn't mean he had to be coddled. Loki wasn't one to coddle as it was. Well, unless it was Ragni. That was different, he loved her and she was fragile. He started to regret leaving her- angry, and worse of all  _alone._

"Hey, I don't go into your room and complain!" Tony eye rolled, pouring himself and Loki a glass of scotch.

"My room isn't a pigsty." he retorted, shaking his head and scrunching his face in disgust.

"Just clean it, you are living in filth."

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Here." Tony handed Loki the glass, who gratefully accepted. He wasn't fond of Midgardian alcohol, but he couldn't deny scotch was one of the better flavors he'd tried. "Where's your other half? I thought she wasn't allowed to be out of your sight." he mocked, grinning while Loki glared daggers at him and took a sip of his drink.

"I needed a moment to speak with you." Loki replied, deliberately diverting the question. It wasn't any of Tony's business that he and Ragni had had a disagreement, or that fact that he had been impulsive and left her while they were upset with one another. _Damn._ Loki wondered if she even had any money on her to call a taxi or take the bus. Groaning internally again, he realized probably not.  As soon as he was done speaking with Stark he would reach out to her and find out where she was- and then grovel for leaving her alone so abruptly.

At least this time he hadn't run off to Alfheim.

"As much as it pains me to ask, I need a favor. Two, actually."

Loki knew he was going to regret this.

"Hold on. I need to record this moment." Tony, who was still grinning like a loon reached into his pocket and fished out his cell phone. Loki groaned and snatched it out of his hand throwing it behind him. Conveniently for Stark it had landed on the bed. He was relieved to know he didn't have to purchase _another_ phone.

"Absolutely not." 

" _RUDE_." Tony scoffed dramatically and furrowed his brows. That was the fourth time Loki had taken his phone. At least this time, Tony realized, he had thrown it on the bed instead of keeping it.

"Are you going to assist me or not?" Loki was growing impatient. Ragni was out there by herself, angry, and he really needed to find her. 

"Fine, you have my attention." Tony leaned against a table, that was also polluted with trash Loki noticed, and folded his arms across his chest. "What are your favors? I need to hear them first before I just go agreeing to help you."

"The first thing I need you to do is look into someone for me. _Eirik Shaw._ I need all the information you can find on him." 

"Why?" Tony mused, and took another sip of his scotch. "And who is Eirik Shaw?"

"He is no one and because I need it." Loki decided to continue on to his next favor, which would surely distract Stark long enough for him to agree to both requests. "My second favor is if you would explain to me how Midgardian marriage customs worked. I've noticed they differ from Asgardian customs." He would have rather went to anyone but Tony for this, but no one else was around and Vision wasn't exactly knowledgeable on the subject. He also didn't exactly have time to go looking for the answers himself since it was so hard to hide, well everything, from his significant other.

Tony almost dropped his drink and he had an even bigger grin plastered on his face now. "Snowflake! You're going to actually do it! Wow, I thought when you told me you thought about marrying that girl you were pulling my leg, but I'll be damned if you weren't." Tony then proceeded to get into Loki's personal space and pull him into his arms for a hug. He grimaced and had to fight with every fiber of his being to not throw Stark out another window.

"Can you _stop_ touching me."

 "Sorry." he replied sheepishly and pulled away from Loki. "What do you want to know exactly? I hate to admit it, but you two were made for each other. So, you have my blessing."

"You have no idea how accurate that statement is and I am overjoyed to hear that we have your blessing." Loki drawled sarcastically, definitely now regretting that he had asked Stark about the subject. Deciding to get to the point he continued, "Where does the ceremony normally take place?"

"Usually? A Church, but with your God complex I don't think that would work." Tony chuckled, politely refilling Loki's glass and then his own. "You can have it anywhere really, within reason, of course." Tony took a sip of his drink while Loki took in the information. "Just depends on what you both want."

"Ah, yes the Christian God. I don't understand you mortal's fixation with that being."

"Neither do I since I'm an atheist; that means I don't believe in God." At that Loki glared at him. 

"First off, you cannot be an atheist when I am standing before you, and secondly, how do I go about obtaining a marriage license?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Tony laughed, not convinced. "Anyway, as for the marriage license that might be a bit tricky since you are from another planet and all, but I think I can fix you something up. Do you need help with the proposal? Fancy flowers and all that jazz."

"I can handle that all on my own, Stark. I may be an evil supervillain, but I still know how to be a romantic." 

"Well, you're my evil supervillain. At least it's never boring with you around."

"I am starting to believe Ragni when she tells me you are infatuated with me." Loki smirked and held back a laugh when Tony choked on his drink staring at him with wide eyes.

"Not infatuated." Tony insisted and pointed a finger at Loki for emphasis. "I just simply admire your elegance. There is a difference." 

"Ah, sure there is."

"Don't flatter yourself. You're interesting and all, but I don't think it would work out." 

Loki chuckled and shook his head, deciding it was time for him to go. He had enough to go on for now. "Well, I must be off. I need to go find my woman." 

"Alright, I'll look into that guy for you. Oh, What did you do, by the way. To Ragni?"

"What makes you believe I've done anything?" 

"Because you two are attached at the hip and she isn't here. Despite your claims, I think there's more to the story that you are letting on, Reindeer Games."

Before Loki could respond there was a sudden frantic knock on the door. "Sir, is Loki in there with you?" They heard Vision call from outside, but before they could reply or answer the door, he continued. "Captain America is here, and he tells me that he needs to speak with him _immediately._ "

Tony walked across the room and opened the door with Loki following behind him, absolutely enraged. "You mean to tell me Steve is here and you allowed him inside! He seriously has the balls to come into my home and-"

Tony may not have noticed the concerned expression written all over Vision's face, but Loki had, and interrupted Stark. "What is it, Vision. What does the Soldier want, and why me?"  

Vision swallowed and braced himself. He had been around long enough to see some of, but mostly hear about, Loki's temper. He decided it was best to just tell what he had to and then let the Captain explain the rest. Honestly, he didn't know much. Only that the Winter Soldier had taken Ragni and Steve had failed in getting her back.

"You need to come with me. The Captain has informed me that... _Something has happened to Ragni_."

 

_"Where is she!"_

Steve barely had time to register Loki had stepped into the room before he heard his shouting. He tried to remain calm crossing his arms and standing as still as a statue, but he couldn't hide the weary look planted on his face. "Tell me what you know Soldier!"

"She's... She's been taken, Loki." Steve muttered. He was ashamed that he had failed to save her and feared for her life now. What did HYDRA want with her? Why her?

_"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S BEEN TAKEN!"_

Steve and Tony both jumped when the green spark of magic shot out of Loki's fingertips and hit the lamp that was unfortunately for it, right next to Loki.

Shaking it off, Tony recovered quickly. "By who?!" Pushing aside the hatred he felt for Steve at that moment as much as he could manage, he decided he would be compliant, even if that meant fighting beside him again. There were more important matters at hand. For instance, Ragni's life, but when Steve took too long to answer, Tony began to lose his patience."Say something! Don't just stand there!" 

"Bucky." Steve cleared his throat and dropped his eyes to the floor. "Bucky took her." 

"The Winter Soldier?" Loki's mouth was partly dropped open and he shook his head. "Why! And how do you know this?"

"I saw him grab her. I tried to get to her, but they disappeared on me."

"Wait, I thought that lover boy was staying with you and on the good side now?" Tony narrowed his eyes at Steve and stepped closer, face to face with him. "You were wrong, weren't you? And now she's paying the price."

"It's not his fault!" Steve insisted, but he couldn't deny that he had screwed up. "I thought HYDRA's hold on him was gone, but apparently I was wrong. I think... I think that's where he's taking her..."

Steve met Loki's eyes, irritated that Tony was still in his personal space snarling at him, but opted to ignore him.

He braced himself, and spoke softly.

_"To HYDRA."_

"HYDRA." Loki repeated as he processed the information. "You allowed him to take her to HYDRA! Are you mad! Do you have any idea what they will do to her, what they do?!" 

"Loki, we'll get her back." Steve promised. "We'll find her-"

"Leave the room."

"What?"

"I. Said.  ** _LEAVE!!!"_**

Steve and Tony ducked and dodged green sparks of energy, scrambling to get into the hallway and _escape_ from an _enraged_ and magically unstable Loki, that was screaming with a fury so loud that it shattered every window on the main floor, along with everything else that was made of glass as well in the process. 

Vision, who had opted to hang back in the doorway and almost got knocked down by Tony and Steve because of it, could only watch the scene that was unfolding before him.

*** 

Ragni woke up with a throbbing headache as well as a sore throat. 

What happened?

The room was pitch dark.

Where was she?

When she went to get up to her horror, she found she was strapped to a chair. She struggled to get free, pulling at the straps until she was blue in the face and panting. 

It was pointless. She was trapped.

When the light switched on, it took her a moment to adjust her eyes and she found herself surrounded by all different types of equipment. She felt a lump form in the back of her throat. There was a memory repressing machine. Ragni had never seen one used, but she knew what it was from the pictures she'd seen from somewhere she couldn't recall at the moment. She also recognized the electroconvulsive therapy machine sitting right beside it.

Oh gods, where was she? Racking her brain she tried desperately to remember how she ended up here.

_Bucky... HYDRA!_

Ragni froze when she heard faint footsteps approaching the door in front of her and when it finally opened, she would have sworn her heart stopped beating. She may have also forgotten how to breathe. 

_'RAGNI! Ragni where are you!'_

She could hear Loki screaming in her mind, but she couldn't bring herself to reply.

For the first time, in a long time, Ragni was absolutely petrified. 

_'RAGNI, PLEASE! Answer me...'_

She watched as her former lover and boss smiled wickedly at her sending a shudder to rip up and down her spine. This was the one person- the one man, she had hoped to never see again.

He hadn't changed at all, still wearing his large black trench coat, black leather gloves, black jeans, and black boots. Hair platinum blonde, and in its usual mullet cut; short and choppy in the front, and long in the back. His piercing blue eyes still gleamed as if they were full of life, but they were empty.

She had witnessed just how empty they could be. 

Eirik Shaw scared the life out of her. 

Ragni was in serious trouble. She knew it. Even if she could manage to respond to Loki, she had no idea where she was. HYDRA had too many hideouts. No one would be able to find her in time to save her. She noticed two HYDRA agents followed closely behind him as he entered the room. Her heart sped up and she could already feel the tears streaming down her cheeks. 

 _"Baby Doll."_ Eirik sneered, approaching her and resting a hand on either side of the chair she was sitting on. Leaning forward, he whispered in her ear. _"You've been very, bad girl_." He chuckled and then licked the side of her face. Ragni grimaced and tried to hold back her sobs the best she could. Rising up and turning away from her, Eirik began barking orders towards the HYDRA agents. 

Forcing herself to form a coherent thought she reached out to Loki while she still could.

 

' _Loki, I don't know where I am.'_

_'Ragni! Thank, Valhalla! I'm going to find you and I will come for you.'_

_'...You won't get here in time.'_

 

There was a pause.

 

_'Don't.'_

_'Loki, I love you. No matter what happens, remember that.'_

 

Another brief pause.

 

_'I will find you in time.'_

_'No... You won't.'_

_'...Why?'_

_'I just know.'_

 

Longer pause.

 

_'Ragni.'_

_'Yeah?'_

_'I love you, and I'm sorry..._

**_I will find you, no matter what it takes.'_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> END CREDITS:  
> "Lamps and other objects were destroyed in the making of this fan fiction in accordance with the unwritten rules regarding subsequent destruction that occurs due to gratuitous angst and random fuckery."
> 
> By the lovely, Marvelousmissfit.  
> [](http://tinypic.com?ref=160pj40)  
> This is what Eirik looks like, and yes, that is David from 'The Lost Boys' :P


	35. The Demon in me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astrid is still searching for answers. Ragni is in her own personal Hell, and Loki is coping with the loss.

Through her searching Astrid had found nothing. No one she came across had ever heard of the spell and it was discouraging. It came from somewhere, but where?

Then she had a thought. 

 

Pulling out a metal box from under the bed, she took no time in opening it. It had been her mother's and she had inherited it shortly after she had passed away. This is where she had originally found the spell, but it had never occurred to her that maybe, possibly, her mother may have information on who created it. It didn't take her very long to find the parchment she was looking for.  
  
Nothing new. Only vague, sloppy details.

Groaning, she flipped it over and on the back of the page, she found the notes of Ella, her mother.

 

_"Protection spell, linking; binding, the caster to their intended."_

_"The caster will be able to pick up on emotions; fear and panic."_

 

It said nothing about the rest of the emotions that also came with it. Or the dream sharing. Either her mother had never cast the spell herself, or had never altered her notes.

Next, came the information about the soul bond- only stating that if the two were Soulmates the spell would be equal to both parties, while otherwise it would remain one sided. It also stated the soul bond was rare. 

The spell could also not be reversed.

There was no other information. 

But this, she already knew.

 

Searching deeper she pulled out a thick leather book; her mother's journal, she realized. She had never gone through Ella's journal, but couldn't help but wonder if there were perhaps more details of the soul bond part of the spell. 

Nothing.  

Groaning, she slammed the journal shut and let out a shriek of frustration. Why was there no information on this? Why had her mother had a copy of a spell with no details? Astrid decided then to do the only thing she could think of that she hadn't tried yet.  

If Idunn didn't have the answers, no one would. 

* * *

Ragni watched Eirik who was giving her an evil, wicked smirk pace back and forth in front of her.

He had been doing it for so long she jumped when he finally spoke. "Ragni, Ragni, Ragni. What am I to do with you?" He stopped and took a couple of strides towards her, once again bracing himself onto the chair that she was still strapped too, and leaned in so that his face was only inches from hers. "How am I to punish you, hmm? Tell me Baby Doll, in what way should I punish you?" When she refused to answer, he narrowed his eyes at her and gripped her chin harshly, forcing himself on her and kissed her. 

When he pulled away, she spit on the floor beside her in disgust. Still, she remained mute. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. 

"You will comply, Baby Doll. I have ways of making you." He sneered. "You see, I've grown. Changed. I'm a completely different man and you'll have no choice then to obey me." Eirik grinned wickedly. "Want to see a trick?" 

She jumped, gasping when she saw his eyes turn pitch black- iris and all, before reverting back to their original blue color. She had only seen that in one thing. Her favorite show.

Supernatural. 

"Are you a demon?"

Ragni hadn't even realized she'd spoken the words out loud until it came out of her mouth.

What was he? Was he even still Eirik?

"I am, smart girl. I met a very interesting character right after you decided to betray me." He explained. "He called himself Aleister. Offered me a gift of immortality. Invincibility. Of course, I humbly accepted. I'll tell you this my cruel, disobedient girl. If you thought I was strong before, know that I am stronger. Faster. Smarter."

" _Deadlier_."

As he was speaking Bucky walked into the room and stood behind Eirik as if on queue. He turned towards the Winter Soldier taking a few strides forward so that he could stand beside him, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Eirik spoke to her while looking at him.

"I believe you and Bucky have already met. He's one of mine. I own his soul." He snapped his head towards her. "As I will yours." Her heart dropped. "I'll be able to control you. Command you, and you will do as I say. You won't have a choice."

" _Eirik, no. Please._ "

Ragni couldn't stop herself from shaking or the tears freely falling down her face.

"Ah, ah. No begging." He warned. "You chose to defy me. You chose to leave and you chose to love another." Her eyes grew wide. "Yes, I know about your boyfriend, and I know who he is. _What he is_. See, I have ways of finding out these things, but you already know that. Don't you my love?"

"I am not yours!"

"No, you're not." He scoffed, leaving Bucky's side and walking over towards one of the machines. Ragni couldn't tell what he had picked up, but she froze when he circled behind her.

"Not yet, anyway." 

She felt him suddenly wrap his arms around her neck and he forced a rubber mouthguard into her mouth. 

"I would suggest you not spit that out, sweetheart. Before I turn you, first things first." 

He released her and the chair shifted, spinning counterclockwise until she was under one of the machines. Metal braces appeared out of the chair, strapping her down tighter before tilting backwards. She was in a state of pure panic when she saw, then felt the device attach to her face.

She realized it was the memory wiping machine. Eirik was going to force her to forget him.  

Forget Loki...

* * *

Idunn was in her garden when Astrid found her sitting on the ground and dipping her hand in and out of the clear blue water. Even on the ground, Idunn looked like the Goddess she was. Her skin almost glowed in the light, and her blonde locks hung freely around her face. She smiled up at Astrid with those perfect, bright blue eyes when she spotted her approaching.

"Astrid, how nice to see you. What brings you to my garden, dear?" Her voice was smooth, motherly. Astrid had always had a weak spot for the Goddess. She had this way of making you feel so warm. So... Loved. 

"It's nice to see you too, Idunn." Astrid made herself comfortable sitting crossed legged on the ground beside her, deciding she would just get straight down to the point. "I wish to know about a spell I found in my mother's things." She met Idunn's eyes and noticed the woman was studying her questionably.

"A spell that can bind Soulmates, but for anyone else it remains one sided. Sharing of emotions and dreams. Do you know of such an incantation?"

"I do." The goddess paused. "Why do you wish to know of such?"

"Curious mostly. Mother had it written on a piece of parchment and I wanted to know more."

"You haven't used this spell yourself, have you?"

Taking a deep breath before replying, Astrid told her the truth.

"I have."

Idunn remained silent for a moment before responding.

"But he wasn't your Soulmate." Astrid shook her head. "I didn't believe so seeing there is no tether."

"Tether?"

"Those the spell is intended for are held by in inviable, but powerful tether of energy. It is what holds and keeps the bond in place."

"But you can't see it?"

"Not with the naked eye, no. Only those who are able to see beyond can see those who are bound."

Astrid nodded. "Makes sense."

"Why cast such a spell on yourself? Were the warnings and instructions not included in your mother's notes?"

"Not really. They were vague to be honest."

"If you are not bound in soul with another, why investigate further? You are aware it cannot be reversed?"

"Yes, I know. I have my reasons. Please, Idunn. I need to know, it's important."

The Goddess sighed and then nodded.

"Very well." Idunn stood and Astrid mirrored her behavior. "Join me inside and I will tell you the story."

* * *

It was a wonder Stark Tower was still standing after it fell victim to Loki's rage. The first time he had only destroyed the main floor, but after his conversation with Ragni, he added another two floors to his destruction. Tony did his best to try and calm him down, but nothing he could say or do would fix this. Nothing was going to make Loki feel better. 

He couldn't find her. 

Someone, or something, was blocking him from doing a locator spell. 

He should have already found her. 

Loki threw another table, shattering it against the wall. Clint and Natasha were taking too long! He was tired of waiting for them, but also had no choice seeing as he had no idea where HYDRA could be keeping Ragni. All of the old hideouts that Loki knew about were now empty. He'd checked those first and had found no one. He couldn't deny it made him feel uneasy.

Where was everyone?

Now he was forced to depend on Clint and Natasha's knowledge of HYDRA, hoping, no praying, that they knew of another location. 

They had to be close. Ragni hadn't been gone long and she was already with them... Wherever that was.

 

Loki, who was already barely holding himself together felt a sudden wave of panic and fear hit him like a ton of bricks. They were hurting her, he knew it, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. 

She wouldn't, or couldn't, answer him. No matter how long he called out, Ragni never replied. 

He felt useless. Powerless.

What point was having a bond if he couldn't even locate the woman he had it with. 

 

"Loki?" Vision had snapped Loki out of his nightmarish thoughts. "May I ask you a question, if that's alright?" Loki wasn't sure what Vision wanted, _and now_ , but nodded anyway. 

He needed the distraction.

Vision took a seat on the floor opposite of Loki, since there was no furniture that wasn't in pieces in sight, and asked, "What is the tether that you and Ragni share?"

Loki looked at him skeptically. "Tether?"

"Yes, the mystical energy that surrounds you two. It's bright when you are apart, but it's near blinding when you are together. I was just wondering if you were aware of it, or perhaps could enlighten me."

Loki wasn't sure how or why Vision could see such a thing when he couldn't do so himself, but he wasn't one to just make things up. He also chose to believe him, seeing as it would make sense for him and Ragni to have a magical tether from being bound. No one knew of their bond, so Vision wouldn't have questioned the existence of the tether if he couldn't see it. 

Loki decided to give Vision an honest answer.

"We are bound to one another. I am going to assume that is the tether you see."

Vision nodded. "And why would one do such a thing? Bind yourself to another. No judgement, only simple curiosity." 

"For love." Loki answered simply.

"Because I loved her, and I was meant to be with her. So the Nornir saw to it that I did such."

At least, that's what he assumed. Why else would have cast that spell on her so impulsively, and for no reason at all except because he felt like he had to? He'd also wanted to, he just hadn't been aware of it. It was the only logical explanation Loki could come up with. He didn't do things on a whim. At least, not when it came to things like binding yourself to someone, even if he hadn't known he'd done it.

The point was, he had been careless and impulsive.

It had also been the best thing he had ever done.

"The Nornir?"

"Fate."

"So, fate wanted you together?"

"I assume, not that it matters now." Loki sighed heavily and ran his hands through his hair. "She's gone, and they are hurting her. I feel it, all of it, and I can do nothing but sit here and wait." 

"We'll find her, Loki. Your Ragni is a strong girl."

 

They sat together in silence for several minutes before Loki spoke again, unable to stop himself.

He had to get it out. It was eating him alive.

"I was going to propose. I wanted.... Want to marry her. I fear I have lost the woman I love, that I will never find her, and it's all my fault. I left her alone. It's because of me Bucky took her, and for the first time in my life... I don't know what to do." Loki could feel the tears rolling down his face, but he couldn't bring himself to care enough to stop them. 

"If Ragni dies, I'm done with it; _I'll end it all_.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just for those who want a visual, this is how I've always pictured Ragni.  
> [](http://tinypic.com?ref=2dj9jz6)  
> Yes, that's Amy Lee. ;)


	36. Prophecies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astrid gets some not so good news, and Loki has a **really** bad day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I was stuck with how to go next. Still not sure if I'm satisfied, but my brain won't cooperate, so it'll have to do. xD

"It was told there would be a love so pure, so powerful, so _dangerous_ , that if it were to be taken away prematurely, it could destroy everything in its path. Our very existence would be put into question. The spell you found was banned centuries ago for a reason, but I know you had no way of knowing that."

"But, I thought it was just a protection spell- binding spell?" Astrid and Idunn were now sitting in the kitchen, each with a cup of herbal tea, while Idunn explained the contents of the spell. 

"It is, but it is so much more than that. When the prophecy was discovered it was thought to have been destroyed."

"But my mother had a copy." Astrid concluded and Idunn nodded.

"Yes, though I do not know why she would have such a thing. Even before we knew this, it was not to be something to take lightly. You and I both know you suffer those consequences." 

Astrid nodded. "Yes, but it was my own doing and I must live with it. So, how is one to know if they were performing the spell on a Soulmate?"

"It's very tricky. Most were not able to find theirs, and the ones that did, say they were simply compelled to perform the spell."

"That makes sense." Even more sense now since Loki felt compelled to cast the spell on Ragni. They were Soulmates. "So, what, the spell just kind of calls out to you?"

"In a way, yes."

"Okay, so why is it so dangerous?" That was worrying to say the least.

"There are three ways the spell can go. The first being, you, for example. One sided feelings, one sided dreams, no true connection. The second, are those who are Soulmates, shared feelings, shared dreams, who form a bond." 

"You forgot the telepathy." Astrid slammed her mouth shut. _Oh, shit._ She really shouldn't have said that. 

"How do you know of the telepathy?" Idunn's eyes grew wide. "Astrid." Her voice was pleading now. "What do you know?"

 _Shit!_ "I-uh," Dammit, how the hell was she going to explain this.

"Astrid." Idunn's voice was full of warning. "If you know something, you must say so."

"What's the third way it can go, Idunn." Astid was panicking a bit now, and was totally trying to avoid the question for as long as possible. 

Astrid could tell Idunn was reluctant, but she answered anyway. "The last involves all I've stated, including the telepathy. That is what was seen in the prophecy, and no one has ever experienced, nor known about this side effect that wasn't involved in destroying the spell. No one, except you. This is the love that is so dangerous."

"But why does it have to be dangerous? It's true love, isn't it?"

"Yes, but that is why it's so dangerous. This spell, binds the soul to the other. When you lose someone you love dearly, you know as well as I do how painful that is." Astrid nodded. "Imagine if you will, being bound to that person who was lost. How do you think that would feel?"

"Worse." She whispered. Astrid really didn't like where this was going. 

"Yes. Much worse, and you will feel that, if he passes on before you. You will know it." Well, that sounded shitty. "For Soulmates the pain was even greater. Magnify that pain by fifty now." Idunn's voiced dropped to a whisper. "Most grieved themselves to death due to the loss."

"And for the last?" She didn't want to know, but she _had_ to know. 

"Magnify it by one hundred." _Fuck._ "Now, tell me, Astrid, _what you know_?"

Well, there was no avoiding this now. "Someone else knew the spell, Idunn." Astrid could barely think, barely get the words out. No, this couldn't be happening. "He shares the telepathic bond with her; _a mortal_."

Astrid could literally hear Idunn's breathing hitch. "Astrid, who?"  

She tried to contain her shaky hands by gripping onto the table. She looked Idunn right in the eye, and once she finally found her voice again, she whispered, _"Loki."_

* * *

Vision was a bit floored by Loki's words, and he wasn't entirely sure exactly what he meant by that, but he knew it couldn't mean anything good. They had to find Ragni, and now. Then it occurred to him. The Teather- he could _see_ it. Which meant he could _follow_ it. 

"I think I just figured out how to find Ragni." At that, Loki's head snapped up. "I'm just sorry I didn't realize I could do it sooner."

 

Clint, Wanda, and Natasha had shown up right before everyone was about to leave. Clint was in a clear state of panic, and everyone could tell Wanda was uncomfortable with why, but she was being understanding. She was trying to be supportive. Love for a person didn't just die, and Wanda knew that. 

Natasha was quiet as usual, but Tony could tell she was more concerned with what happened to his tower at the moment than anything else. He pulled her aside and explained how Loki had gone rampant. She didn't say anything, but Tony was almost sure there was sympathy hidden somewhere under those cold, green eyes of hers. 

Tony had a million questions, about how Vision could see a Teather? And about a bond Loki had apparently done with Ragni, but there would be time for that later. Right now he just needed to get his best friend's girl back. Specifically, _before_ he doesn't have a tower to come home to. He didn't care about the damage, that could be replaced. Ragni couldn't, and he had this horrible feeling that if something happened to her, his tower would be the least of his concerns. Tony had seen Loki angry, but not hurt angry. Not one minute sobbing on the floor, the next destroying everything in sight. If they didn't find her, things were going to get very, very bad. Tony didn't even want to consider what might happen if they didn't make it to her in time. Loki could fix her memories if they had altered them, he was sure, but he couldn't fix it if they killed her first.

Tony also had this feeling this wasn't going to go as easily as they had all hoped, and unfortunately for him, he was correct on that assumption.  

 

They were in a deserted little area outside of the city when Loki suddenly stopped walking. Tony assumed maybe he knew something, but when he doubled over in pain and fell to his knees that theory flew right out the window. 

"Snowflake! What's wrong?" Tony was on his knees now, shouting at Loki to talk to him, but he wasn't doing anything but clutching his chest and gasping for air. He looked... Scared. "Loki, dude, seriously, you are scaring me. What's wrong!" 

"The Teather." Vision spoke solemnly. "It's been suppressed." 

Yeah, because he totally knew what THAT meant. "What do you mean suppressed!"

"It's been weakened." Vision knelt down beside Loki, who was still clutching his chest and breathing heavily. "She hasn't perished." He told the wide-eyed god. "It's still there. I can still see it, but something _has_ happened."

"I can still feel her, but, it's off." Loki choked. " _Something's wrong_." 

"Can you describe it?"

"There's nothing, it's just empty. Numb. She's still there, but she isn't." 

"Okay, so maybe we should continue. Do you think you can walk now, Snowflake?"

 Loki nodded. "Yes." 

Damn, if the God hadn't already looked broken before, Tony had no idea how to describe how he looked now.

"Let's go, buddy."

* * *

 "I should have never doubted you."

Eirik turned and smiled widely at his newest companion. He hadn't been sure if he could trust him at first, but the man was becoming to be one of his greatest allies. Not to mention, he'd also sold his soul for the cause. 

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" He replied, and looked back at his newest creations.

Ragni, was a beautiful sight to say the least. Eirik hadn't just erased her memories of that worthless, vile, pathetic, creature she had taken up with, no, in fact, he had up the scale. Mind control was an amazing thing. He was sure Loki was just going to  _love_ it; what Eirik had done to his beautiful, precious girl. None of those pesky emotions and feelings humans were equipped with; no humanity. He also possessed her soul now, along with the Winter Soldiers. That serum did wonders for him, he had realized.

It had also done wonders for his beautiful Ragni. Such a strong, powerful, woman now. 

"It is. I'm glad we met, Mr. Shaw." The man held out a hand and Eirik took it and gave it a firm shake. 

"As am I, Nick."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, my vivid imagination is way more advanced than my brain.  
> I've also been worried about the explanation of the spell. I hope I didn't leave any plot holes.  
> Ugh, writing is hard. xD


	37. Entropy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki finally finds Ragni, but nothing goes as planned.

"We're here." Vision told them. The Avengers were now standing outside a large, abandoned warehouse two miles from where Loki had previously collapsed. Tony eyed the building. It looked relatively empty.

"Let's stick together and be cautious. We don't know what to expect once we get inside. We're also short a Hulk and a Thor." No one had been able to get in contact with Bruce for some time now. Tony couldn't deny it worried him. Thor on the other hand was still in Asgard and probably oblivious to everything that had been going on. It would also be nice if he would perhaps return. And soon.

"Are you sure they are even in there?" Wanda questioned. "It looks empty."

"That's the point. They don't want to be found."

"Well, I don't know about that." Came a voice from behind them. They all turned to see a blonde haired, blue eyed man sneering at them. They could also see more figures behind him, but it was too dark to make out exactly who they were. Loki couldn't make out how many, but there were at least a dozen. 

"And who are you supposed to be, James Dean?" Tony raised a brow. Was this guy for real. 

The man snickered. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Eirik Shaw."

Loki's eyes snapped up and met his. _Eirik._  THAT Eirik?! 

"I see you know who I am, don't you Loki?" Loki's hands were clenched together and he was gritting his teeth. He paid no attention to the fact that the rest of the Avengers was staring at him uneasily for Eirik's comment.

Well, except Tony, of course. 

"Uh, Snowflake? How do you know him?" 

"I don't. I know of him." Loki hissed, never removing his gaze from Eirik. "Ragni knew him."

"Wait, Ragni knew...you mean that's...." Clint could barely get the words out of his mouth. "You mean to tell me that's the son of a bitch that had control over her!"

"Yes, that is him."

"Oh boy." Tony realized things may have just gotten a hell of a lot worse. "So, why is he here?"

"Do you think I cannot hear you?" Eirik laughed. "Because I can, and I'm here for a few reasons actually. One being Ragni." 

Loki growled and stepped forward, but Tony stopped him. "Wait, something doesn't feel right." He whispered.

"No, Tony. I'm through waiting." Loki barked, and pulled away from Tony's grasp. 

"Well, if I may." Eirik began. "I have something for you, Oh Great One. Oh, and for your little Patriot too."

Two of the darker figures from behind Eirik stepped forward, and Loki's breathing hitched when he saw her. She was still just as beautiful as she always had been, and there didn't seem to be any physical damage on her, but her eyes. Her eyes were _so empty._   _Black._ The other figure to join her was the Winter Soldier, who Loki assumed was meant for Steve. His eyes were just as empty.

"Ragni!" Loki shouted, hoping she gave him something, _anything_ , that would let him know that she was still in there somewhere. He attempted to run towards her, but Tony grabbed a hold of him again with the help of Clint this time, stopping him from getting any farther.

"Loki, I said wait!"

"Something's wrong with her! Her eyes. Just look at her eyes, Loki!" Clint tried to plead with the God, but he was still struggling to get free. Clint knew he had seen this somewhere, _those eyes_ , where had he seen those eyes? 

Ragni met Loki's gaze with a look of concern written all over her face for a brief moment, but then she started laughing, wickedly laughing, and Loki felt like someone had twisted a dagger into his heart.

_"Hello, lover."_

It sounded like her, but there was a dark edge added to her voice now. 

"Bucky!" Steve had also tried to go ahead of the class, only to be stopped by Natasha and Vision. 

Wanda looked like she was about to throw up, frozen in place, and clearly terrified. " _Demons_." she mumbled under her breath, but no one heard her. 

"Hey Steve." Bucky cooed, but it was mocking. "Miss me? Because I sure as hell miss you." He grinned and licked his lips. 

"Isn't this fun!" Eirkir smiled and clapped his hands. "I just love it! So much better than completely forgetting, don't you think so, Nick?"

"I will admit, it is amusing."

Another one of the dark figures stepped forward and all of the Avengers gasped at the person in front of them. 

Nick Fury.

"Why?"

Natasha couldn't believe it. WHY! Why would Fury do this? Betray them like this? She should have seen it coming. Hell, she may have.

"Are you fucking kidding me! The Pirate's in on this!" Tony shouted, seeing his own shade of red now. "I knew you were a scumbag, piece of shit!"

The man just laughed. "Yeah, yeah, save me the dramatics, will you?"

Loki was seething, burning with rage. _Fury._ He knew he should have just killed that son of a bitch!

"When I get my hands on you, Nicholas, I will rip your throat out this time." Loki promised. "I will make it a slow, painful death."

"Well, good luck with that, but I think you'll be too busy fighting off your so-called girlfriend to worry much about me."

 

For Loki it was as if everything was in slow motion. Ragni and the Winter Soldier ran forward at full speed towards them. She smiled at him right before she kicked him in the stomach so hard it sent him flying into Wanda, who was behind him, and barely missing Vision, Natasha, and Steve in the process. 

Bucky swung at Tony and he barely had time to dodge the blow. Clint was on him, but he was no matched for the Winter Soldier and was thrown across the lot. Tony blasted Bucky with some of his smaller rockets and sent him flying backwards for a moment, only a moment, because he was now standing and walking back towards him with a look of pure fury written on his face. "Shit, he's angry." Tony mumbled under his breath right before he was sent flying backwards by Bucky.

 

Eirik and the remaining black figures were in on the fight now too, toying around with Vision, Steve, and Natasha. HYDRA agents, they assumed, but with the same black eyes that Ragni and Bucky possessed. Half of them were aiding Eirik while the other half aided Bucky.

They discovered Eirik was fast and quick in his movements, laughing and taunting them as they attacked. Even with the three of them together they were still outmatched by the man alone. Natasha began to wonder if he was even human. She got her answer when she finally got a hit on him, and he glared at her with coal black eyes with a look that said he was _done_ playing with them.

 

Wanda was trying to regain her senses and gasping for air after being smashed by the demigod. He wasn't expecting to be hit, or maybe he froze up, she wasn't sure, but now he was in a death match with the woman she knew he loved. The look of pain was written all over Loki's face. He was holding back, trying not to hurt her, but she wasn't giving him much of a choice. She was out for his blood. 

 

"Ragni! Stop, please!" Loki pleaded again while he dodged another _surprisingly painful_ blow. She was stronger, made into something that resembled the Winter Soldier, but no metal parts. Loki didn't want to fight her, he didn't want to hurt her, but it was clear he was going to _have_ to defend himself or he was to get beaten to death by the person he loved the most. That was the hardest part. He knew it wasn't her. He knew it wasn't, but it was still _her_. It was still her body, her mind, but it had been played with. Tampered with. 

"What's wrong, baby?" She laughed. "Don't wanna play with me?"

"I don't want to hurt you." 

Ragni came in for another punch, only for Loki to catch her fist and squeeze it so hard she winced. She gave him a dumbfounded look right before he punched her. She hit the ground laughing and holding her jaw. "What happened to not wanting to hurt me?"

"I said I didn't want to." Loki growled and lifted her up by her collar. "Not that I wouldn't." 

 

"Finally."

She kneed Loki in the stomach and he dropped her momentarily, but quickly retaliated with another punch. Most of their fight was blocking one another, since they were both fast on their feet, but Ragni knew she had to catch him off guard. 

Just for a moment. Just long enough to... 

 

Loki shrieked when he felt the dagger plunge into his side. He winced when he pulled it out and threw it on the ground. She'd stabbed him. She _fucking_ stabbed him! He decided the only way to get through to her is to knock her out and hopefully drag her home before... Before... 

His knees were shaking now and he dropped to the ground. Loki didn't feel well, not at all. Then his blood felt like it was on fire. He glanced up at Ragni was was standing over him smiling. She had picked up the dagger and was twirling it in her hand. 

"What's wrong love, feel sick?" She asked, but her sympathy was clearly faked. 

"What... What did you do to me..." Loki could barely speak now. The fire-feeling was getting worse and it was also getting really painful. 

"Poison. But a special kind. Does your blood feel like it's on fire yet?" She asked innocently and his eyes grew wide. "Oh yes, this is made specifically for Frost Giants. Can't tell you how he got a hold of such a thing." She shrugged. "But I know that you have six hours to find the antidote, or the end result will be fatal."

Loki couldn't believe what he was hearing. She'd stabbed him using a fatal poison... 

"Why?"

His brain couldn't process anything but the fact that the woman he loved may be dead.

She wasn't Ragni anymore. For the first time tonight he finally realized what was happening.

She was a demon. Eirik and Bucky were demons. Fury, all of them.

Ragni was still herself in some levels since she knew who he was, but she was trying to _kill him_. 

Could he fix this? Was his magic going to be enough this time? He knew she would never sell her soul willingly, so that gave him some hope. 

For a moment.

"Why not? I don't care for you, so why should I care who Eirik orders me to poison." There was no emotion in her words. They were cold, just as cold as her eyes. "I don't feel things like regret, or anger, or, well, anything really." Ragni crouched down so she was level with Loki. "I especially don't feel things such as  _love_." 

 

The Avengers were losing. They were being played with and kicked around to a point it was almost embarrassing. Clint's arrows couldn't even slow the agents down. It was almost as if they felt no pain. He only had a few explosive arrows with him, and that seemed to kill them permanently, but he only had four arrows. He wanted to go for Eirik, but Natasha, Steve, and Vision were too close to him. He'd have to settle for killing a few HYDRA agents instead. He managed, but once those arrows were gone, he stood no chance. Tony's rockets had taken out a few agents as well, but he also had to be careful where and who he aimed for. They'd have to settle with what they had.

Wanda had finally managed to get up and was intending on helping Loki, but she was stopped and now in her own fight with HYDRA agents. 

The fight didn't last much longer after that.

 

With them all on the ground now, Eirik and his demons went to stand back to their previous spot to join a grinning Fury. He wasn't ready to kill them yet. No, he had bigger plans, but he wanted to make sure they knew who they were dealing with. 

"Now that you know who we are, we shall be going. Do not expect to find us until we want to be found." 

Then, just like that, they were all gone. Vanished. 

 

Loki would have been dwelling on the fact that Ragni was once again gone, not to mention a demon that tried to kill him, if he hadn't been in extreme excruciating pain in that very moment. He could hear Tony beside him, but Loki could only grit his teeth and curl up to keep from screaming. He had to tell Tony so he could get Thor and find an antidote before it was too late.

"Poison." Loki managed to spit out through gritted teeth. "I've... Been poisoned." 

"What!" Tony yelped. "Are you fucking kidding me? She poisoned you!"

 "T-Tell, Thor. Need antidote. Poison intended for Jotunn. F-Frost G-Giant. S-Six hours."

"Six hours until what?"

"... _I die_." 

"Die! What the fuck do you mean, _die_?" No answer. "Snowflake?"

Nothing.

"....Loki?"

 

Tony started to panic until he realized Loki was just unconscious, but he looked paler than normal. His skin was also turning a blotchy shade of blue and he was sweating. Breathing heavily.

_He's been Poisoned. She poisoned him._

"....Fuck."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I suck with battle scenes, but hopefully you get the picture.


	38. Out of my mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony desperately tries to get in touch with Thor in hopes that he can save Loki, while the rest of the Avengers come to terms with what happened.  
> Loki dreams.

"HEY! ALL SEEIER WATCHER PERSON! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?"

Tony had been screaming at the sky for over two hours now. He was beyond furious, with everything. With Fury, with Eirik, with HYDRA, and with the stupid guy in the sky that wouldn't answer him. Most of all he was angry with himself. At the Avengers. They had failed. Utterly and miserably. They'd been impulsive going in, with no real plan, and the end result got their asses kicked- with Loki paying the price. The worst part was that the only reason that they were even still alive was because that bastard had allowed it.

They could have died, _should_ have died. Yet, here they were. Alive. They all left with only minor injuries, nothing they weren't already used to, with the exception of Loki- who was laying on Tony's bed, still unconscious, while he attempted to contact Thor. _Two hours. Only four more remaining until..._

"GOD DAMMIT! SEND THOR!" Tony pleaded again. " _Please_." 

* * *

_The light was hitting her just right and she glowed in the sunlight. She was smiling at him and he couldn't resist smiling back. Loki had always thought Ragni was one of the most gorgeous creatures he'd ever seen, not to mention every time she looked at him it made his heart race. She was literally an Angel, sent for him, and only him. She was his everything. And nothing would ever tear them apart._

_They were in a meadow, Loki realized, but couldn't recall how they had gotten here._ That didn't matter, _he thought. He was with Ragni._

_That's what mattered._

_'Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?' Loki grinned, cupping his hand under her chin and pulling her in for a chaste kiss. 'How much I love you?'_

_'Every day.' she whispered, biting her bottom lip as she looked up at him. 'Are we alone?'_

_'Yes, my love.'_

_'Kiss me.'_

_It was a demand, and_ _Loki was all too willing to give in. She parted her lips so he could deepen the kiss and he savored the taste of her. His beautiful girl. His angel. The hand that wasn't cupping her face sunk into her hair and he could feel her arms wrapping around his waist. The feel of her hands on him, her lips against his, her scent, her breathing- it was all Loki could comprehend in that moment._

 _But the moment was taken away all too soon when Ragni pulled away, gasping and staring at him wide eyed with her mouth gaped open. He also noticed h_ _er breathing was hitched and irregular._ _  
_

_'Ragni?'_

_Loki looked down and was momentarily frozen in shock. The shirt covering her abdomen was covered in blood and he was even more horrified when he noticed the blood stain was growing larger. Ragni was trembling all over and the glow on her skin had faded._

_'You killed me.' She told him simply, slowly shaking her head back and forth in disapproval._

_No, he couldn't have done this. He would never harm her._

_He went to disagree, to explain it wasn't his fault, but she repeated, 'You killed me.'_

_'No-'_

_Her words became weaker just as her eyes fluttered shut._

_'I trusted you.'_

* * *

 "Do you think he's in a lot of pain?" 

Clint didn't like Loki. In fact, he hated Loki, but right now the god looked _so bad_. So broken. Sick. He was also mumbling in his sleep, sometimes even screaming, and Clint couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Loki loved Ragni, still didn't mean Clint had to like it, but apparently they saw something in each other. Because she loved him just as deeply.

"He is in great pain." Wanda replied, taking a hold of Clint's hand. They sat on the floor of Tony's room. Everyone was huddled in there, still in shock of tonight's events. Shaken, and ashamed. Tony was still outside screaming at nothing. 

No one was coming to help them. 

She figured it was best to just be honest about the situation. Poison or no poison, Loki was in pain. He had to fight against the woman he loved tonight, with the slightest shred of hope that she was still in there somewhere, only to be stabbed with a dagger coated with poison. A poison meant only for him.

"You didn't see him tonight. Battling his beloved." Wanda recalled the memories of watching Loki and Ragni. The pain on his face, the confusion and shock. The denial, and the moment he realized she was gone. She'd witnessed it all, but before she could get to him she'd been cornered by HYDRA agents. Or more so, demons. "It won't be an easy task, saving them." she explained. "But there are ways."

"Do we chant in Latin, perhaps?" Clint finally remembered where he'd seen the black-eyed creatures from. Supernatural. He used to watch it with Ragni from time to time- a long time ago. 

"No, we must eliminate Eirik." Clint groaned. "He possesses their souls, and until he is dead, he will continue to possess them."

"But how do we kill him?"

"A special weapon, forged to kill demons; a dagger, but I don't know where it's located. Not anymore."

Clint gave her a stern glare. "How do you know all of this?" Wanda pursed her lips together and swallowed. "Please, Wanda." he pleaded. "I just want to understand."

She sighed and bit her lip. "It's because I have seen this before. Experience it. In Russia.... When I was a child."

 

"Are you alright?" Natasha kneeled down next to Steve, who was sitting on the floor with his back braced against the wall looking like a lost puppy. 

"No." Was all he replied. 

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really. It's all a little much." He rubbed his hands over his face and sniffled. Natasha noticed for the first time his eyes were rimmed red. She usually wasn't the person to try and console anyone, but maybe it was after tonight's failure, the fact that they all should have died that made her feel something for someone other than herself. Well, and Bruce, but he was gone... 

"I'm sorry." Was that what people said in this situation? She guessed so, since Steve nodded and gave her a half smile. He didn't seem to be up to talking which was fine. She wasn't too good at talking anyway. 

* * *

_'Come on, Loki. We're going to be late!' Ragni giggled, dragging him along by the hand down the hallway. They must have been going somewhere important. She was wearing a beautiful, V-cut, black mini-dress. He glanced down to find he was in a black suit._

_How did he get here?_

_'Late for what, pet?' He replied, curious as to where they were headed._

_'You know, silly! Tony's party. We're going to be late if we don't hurry.'_

_Loki furrowed his brows. Party? He didn't remember anything about a party, but no matter, he supposed. Ragni seemed excited so even if he'd forgotten about it, he was ready to enjoy the night with her._

_She pulled him through a set of double doors and it looked like everyone he knew, but their faces were distorted; crazed. He couldn't figure out why Ragni wasn't bothered by it, He wanted to ask, but the words wouldn't leave his mouth. Instead, he found himself dancing on the dance floor with all the insane faces staring at him._

_'It's okay, just ignore them.' She told him, and he felt like he wanted to relax, believe her, but he just couldn't. Something didn't feel right._

_'Ragni, I don't know. Something feels off, don't you agree?' Surely she had to have noticed how everyone looked._

_He suddenly felt like he should be doing something, but... What?_

_'Everything is fine. Just stay here with me.' she pleaded and leaned in to kiss him._

_At first it had been soft and slow, but the longer the kiss lasted, the deeper, and more passionate it became. So when she pulled away to sink a dagger into his stomach, well, it had been the last thing he had expected._ _The pain was horrible, spreading all up and down his body, and he just couldn't come to terms with it. Ragni had stabbed him. But why? He thought she loved him._

_'Why?' It was getting harder to breathe._

_'It's simple.' She explained and void of all emotion. 'I don't love you.'  
_

* * *

Tony had joined everyone in his room, sitting on the floor with his head buried in his hands. It had been five hours. Five hours since Loki had been poisoned. Which meant that left only one hour left until the inevitable. Loki was going to die. And there was nothing Tony or the rest of them could do to stop it. They had no idea what type of poison they were dealing with. Did they even have an antidote for something like this? They didn't have Frost Giants on Earth (well, unless you counted Loki) so they wouldn't have an antidote for a poison to kill something that no one knew existed. How did Eirik get possession of the poison in the first place? Who did he know that could get a hold of something like that? 

And how did Eirik find out what Loki was? _Fury._ Of course. How long had that son of a bitch been feeding Eirik information? How could they have been so blind? Tony never trusted Fury, but he hadn't expected _that_.

"Earth's Mightiest Hero's." Tony mumbled angrily under his breath. "Just look at us. Pathetic." 

"Tony-"

"Shut up, Clint. I need to rant, rage a little, because I've been outside screaming myself hoarse for the past five hours, and for what? Nothing. So here I sit, while one of my friends is possessed, or some stupid shit, by demons, and the other lies here dying in front of my eyes.  So excuse me if I need to vent a little! I'm pissed the fuck off!" 

"We all are." Steve spoke quietly. "We're all pissed off."

 "Right." Tony laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Because once this is all over, everyone goes back home with you, while I'm left here to mourn the death of my friends. Fuck you." 

"Come on, Tony." Natasha was not in the mood to argue. They were already broken before, even more broken now, and she knew they couldn't afford another fight. Another loss. "We have to stick together right now. We have to stop Eirik."

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

"With a blade, a special blade." Wanda had already explained everything she knew to the others, and briefly told Tony about her knowledge of the blade and how she knew it existed. "It was meant to destroy demons. If we can find it and destroy him we can save your friend."

"Okay, say we do find this blade and kill him, what exactly do I tell Ragni once we get her back? That she killed the love of her life?"

Tony fixed his eyes on Loki. He was struggling to breath now, gasping after every breathe. And Tony could do nothing but sit here and watch him die. Thor wasn't coming. And even if he did show up now, without the antidote, it would still be too late.

"Even if we do save her, she'd never be able to forgive herself for this."

* * *

_'Stay with me?' She told him in-between kisses. 'Please, don't leave me here alone.'_

_'I'll never leave you.'_

_She smiled at him and curled up in his lap. They were in Ragni's room, sitting on her bed. She was naked and he couldn't resist the urge to touch her. Kiss her. Feel her. Take in every part of her. She was perfect. Everything was perfect._

_At least, until Loki blinked and the entire scenery changed. He was covered in blood. The sheets were also stained with blood, and Ragni was no longer on his lap. He looked over at her side of the bed._

_She was lying there, looking at him with empty eyes, with her throat slit open._

_"Ragni..."  
_

* * *

"Help me hold him down!" Tony shouted at Clint and Wanda. Loki was screaming at the top of his lungs while his body violently jerked around the bed. 

"Tony, what's happening!"

"He's got fifteen minutes, that's what's happening!" 

Loki's screams and movements came to a stop, and for a split second Tony thought his time had been off and Loki was already dead, until he saw his chest rising. He was still breathing, but barely.

Everyone was standing around Loki, watching, but no one said a word. 

What could any of them really say at this point?  If Eirik had taken Loki out, what did that mean for the rest of them? 

 

"Ten minutes."

Tony wasn't sure why he was keeping track anymore. It didn't matter. It was over.

_"Everyone out."_

At first, no one knew whether or not he was being serious until he shot them all a look of death that said he wasn't messing around. So reluctantly, they left. They didn't deserve to be here. They weren't his friend, they didn't care about him. Not really. Not like Tony did. Not like Ragni... God, Ragni. Was it wrong to almost wish she didn't come out of this? Was it wrong to wish for the least painful end for his friend? Not have her get pulled back into this world only to learn she'd killed the man she loved.

Tony's heart was aching for them. Loki was going to propose to her. And now she would never know. Not unless Tony told her. He was the only other person who knew. Though, to be honest, he'd known _months_ ago- when Tony had forced Loki to talk to him after his panic attack. He'd confessed how he loved her, couldn't get her out of his head, and even had thoughts of marrying her- which was preposterous, he had said. And now Tony finds out he had bound himself to the girl. Love wasn't a strong enough word for what Loki felt for Ragni, and it broke Tony's heart more knowing the last thing he had seen was her stabbing him, and the first thing she was going to learn once they rescued her is that she'd been the one to do it. Tony promised himself one thing- if they found the blade, he would be the one to sink it into Eirik's chest. For Loki. For Ragni. For The Avengers. Then he'd go straight for Fury. 

"I'm sorry, buddy. I failed you." He doubted Loki could hear him, but he still needed to say it out loud. "I'll avenge your death, Ragni, all of it. I swear. Even if it kills me."

He wasn't expecting to get an answer, but he couldn't stop the surge of disappointment he felt when there wasn't one. Nothing. Nothing but raspy, shallow breaths of a dying God. 

 

Tony only heard it at first. Then turned to glance out the window, and that's when he _saw_ it; the light. The Bifrost.

_Thor._

But this only made Tony angrier. What the hell was the point in showing up now? To watch Loki fight for his life for the next five minutes? Yes, Tony was absolutely seething right now. He waited, knowing someone would tell Thor to come to Tony's room, where he would be waiting to rip his ass a new one the moment he walked through the door. 

When that moment happened Tony was gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, but the Thunder God ignored him and ran straight to Loki, propped him up, and then started pouring a greenish-purple liquid down his throat. 

Wait... Tony was confused.

"What are you doing?" The moment it came out of his mouth, he knew it had been a stupid question. 

"What do you think I'm doing, Man of Iron. I'm saving my brother's life!" he spat, clearly irritated. It was then Tony noticed how dirty Thor was. Bloody and bruised, and he looked shaken up. 

"How do you even know it's the right antidote?" Thor hadn't even been here! Did the Heemel guy tell him or something? 

"There is only one poison that is fatal to a Frost Giant. Heimdall alerted me the moment you called." 

"Are you fucking kidding me! I've been out there screaming for five hours thinking no one was listening!" 

"I am sorry, but there was no time for me to come here first. I had to go through great lengths to get this, and I wasn't sure if I was going to make it back in time as it was." Thor looked down towards Loki. He was still unconscious, but his breathing was picking back up. "I thought to already be too late."

"You cut it close there, Tarzan." Tony breathed a sigh of relief. Loki was already looking better, his color was going back to its usual shade of pale, and his breathing was even now. His friend was going to live. "Well, either way, thank god. We also have a lot to tell you, but I need to hit the bathroom, so I'll be right back." Thor gave Tony a nod as he headed off to the restroom. 

As soon as Tony walked into the bathroom, he shut the door behind him, sunk to the floor, and wept. 


	39. Doomed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly a filler. Hope this chapter isn't too dull.

Loki woke up a few hours later, alone. He groaned when he realized he was in Tony's room, but when he sat up, he found that the room had been cleaned at some point when he was unconscious. _Or perhaps he had someone do it while they were_ \- it all came flooding back- Fury, Eirik, Ragni, the fact that she'd poisoned him and attempted to kill him. Loki assumed Tony must have gotten a hold of Thor in time seeing as he was still alive and felt a lot better, well physically. Emotionally and mentally, not so much. He was completely drained, heartbroken, and angry.

It was almost too much, too overwhelming.

Loki closed his eyes for a moment and swallowed, trying to hold back the tears he wanted to so badly shed, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He feared if he started now, he'd never stop. 

Instead, he focused on what he was going to do next. He had to save Ragni, that much he knew for sure.

She was a demon, but knowing she would never willingly give up her soul Loki guessed Eirik had taken it- as well as the Winter Soldiers, at least he assumed. He figured Eirik would have wiped her memories, but clearly she knew who he was- that they were lovers, but it still wasn't enough to pull her back. But Loki knew better. Demons don't feel emotions, but it still hurt. It hurt more than he cared to admit...

Okay, so maybe he'd messed with her memories? That was possible. He sighed. A number of things could be a play here; there was really no way to be sure. Once he restored her soul, he could go from there and repair the damage that bastard had done. 

Loki felt sick to his stomach. If he had that much control over her, what else was he forcing her to do? The thought made him shudder and the more he thought about it the angrier he became. Did he even want to know? Would she remember any of this once he got her back? Would she remember what Eirik had done to her? 

 _Eirik._  Oh, how Loki wanted to rip his spinal cord out through his throat. He would kill him, he swore. He would kill Eirik, make him regret the day he messed with him,  _stolen his Ragni_. He would feel Loki's wrath and once he was finished with him, Fury would be next.

* * *

"I'm bored." Ragni drawled, stretching and then readjusting herself on the couch. Eirik was off doing who knows what, so she was on her own. Well, she had Bucky to keep her company. 

"You've said that four times now." He was getting irritated, but she couldn't deny it brought her a little bit of joy. I mean, what the hell else was she supposed to do? She had to get her kicks somewhere.

"Then entertain me." 

She sprawled out and laid her feet on his lap, covering up the tablet he was using to play a game. He ignored her, adjusted the tablet, and continued on as if nothing was going on. 

"What are you playing?"

"Plants vs. Zombies."

"Seriously?"

He made a hmm mmm noise and handed her the tablet. "Wanna try?"

Ragni rolled her eyes, but took the tablet anyway. She stared at it blankly. "Um, so what the fuck do I do?"

"In this game- Play as a plant and defend your garden stronghold, or play as a zombie trying to invade and degrade it."

She still didn't quite get it, but decided she would just play around with it until she figured it out. "Alrighty." Twenty minutes went by before she noticed Bucky was staring at her smiling. "What?"

"You are very focused." he laughed. "It's kind of hot."

Ragni kicked him. "Whatever." she scoffed. "You're kind of gross." 

Bucky laughed. "I think that's your way of saying you like me."

"Aren't you gay?"

"Nope, Pansexual." He smiled at her and winked.

"Well, go find someone else to do, because it's not going to be me." He made another humming noise, but didn't say anything else. Eirik chose that moment to walk in. He was smiling. 

"Well, look at you two, getting all cozy." He glared at Ragni. "Come." She handed Bucky the tablet, stood up and approached Eirik. "Give me your hand." Ragni was confused, but held out her hand. Eirik pulled out a dagger and sliced a cut down her palm. Then he repeated the same action on himself. He began chanting, she assumed in Latin, and under any normal circumstances, she would have questioned it, but she was still way too bored to give a damn. When he was done with his incantation he pressed his bloodied hand against hers.

"Ew." She scrunched up her face. "I hope your clean." 

Eirik laughed. "Of course."

Okay, so she was a tad bit curious. "So, what's with the blood ritual?"

"Nothing for you to worry about, baby girl." 

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Right." She had this feeling is was something she should worry about, that is, if she had cared enough to worry. That was the plus side to having no emotions. You didn't care. About anything. It was slightly, freeing. 

"All done, you'll heal in a couple of minutes. Now you two get some rest, we have a big day ahead of us soon." Eirik smiled. He looked genuinely happy. "I cannot wait."

"Wait for what?" Bucky asked as Ragni took her seat back beside him, stealing the tablet back. "Hey!"

"You'll see soon enough." He whispered, smiling at the two fighting over who was going to play the game next.

* * *

The Avengers sat in the meeting room and went over the past few days with Thor- about Ragni, HYDRA, and the events of last night. Thor sat there quietly and took all of the information in, eventually gripping Mjölnir until his knuckles were white. By the time Tony had finished explaining, Thor's face was flushed an angry shade of red. 

"We will find this Eirik and I will END him!" Thor growled, slamming his fist on the table. "And I will End Fury!"

"Oh, no you won't." 

Everyone turned to find Loki standing in the doorway. "If anyone takes their lives, it will be _me_." He was using that tone, that tone Thor knew not to question or argue. "If need be you can have Fury, but Eirik is _mine!_ " 

"Snowflake." Tony smiled. "You're awake. And angry! Thank god." 

"You all forget Eirik cannot just be taken out so easily!" Wanda shouted. "It's what almost got you killed- us killed, last time. We need-"

"The demon blade. Yes, I'm aware." Loki finished, looking quite bored now. "If I had been aware he was a demon prior, I would have retrieved it sooner."

"Wait, you know where it is? See! I told you, guys!" Tony pointed at them. "I knew Loki would have that shit. He's all mystical and whatnot."

"Thank you, Anthony." Loki rolled his eyes. 

"Where is this blade you speak of, brother?"

"In one of my many hiding places, and no you cannot come with." Loki stated before Thor had time to ask, since he had that look on his face like he was about to. "Once I arrive back we need to come up with a strategy, we cannot have a repeat of last night." He paused for a moment. "I also believe I may know of a way to retrieve Ragni's soul without having to eliminate Eirik first."

"How?" Clint asked. 

"If I can get close enough with both of them together, I may be able to reverse what he's done to her. Take back what he stole." 

"Do you think it'll weaken him at all?" 

"Possibly, but we cannot count on it. Give me a few hours. I shall return as soon as possible."

"We'll start coming up with a plan, be careful, and don't get poisoned this time. I don't have enough alcohol to deal with that again." Tony scolded. "Seriously, come back in one piece."

* * *

"I don't get it, Idunn. How could he end the world? I get that he'd be inconsolable, but why is this so dangerous?"

"Do you forget how powerful Loki is? He has the means to bring forth Ragnarok, and if he has no will to live, if he's that angry and that grief-stricken it will be catastrophic!" Idunn shouted. She was losing her patience now. 

"But it doesn't say-"

"Spells never say what they mean, nor do Prophecies. It's always cryptic. But now- now it makes all the more sense, Astrid. Think about it!" 

She couldn't deny what Idunn said made sense, but she also didn't want to believe Loki would kill himself and take everyone out with him in the process. Suicide, she could get, but ending it all? Was he truly capable of that? She decided that yes, he was. The man was an emotional roller coaster on a good day. He always wore his heart on his sleeve, (or he used too, before it was stomped on by everyone he cared about) but he was still an emotional being. _Damn._ Astrid didn't know what to think at this point. 

"So what do we do?" 

"First thing we do is get that girl an apple, and pray nothing happens to her until then." 

"Then what?" 

"We hope they live a long, life together. If not- you better pray he goes first. The girl isn't powerful enough to put an end to us, but Loki is. Never forget that, Astrid. I know you love him, but he is dangerous. He may have it together now, but if he loses that lifeline, it's over. Odin ruined that boy. Loki died that day on the Bifrost, I don't care what anyone says, _he died_. The person he is now is not the boy I remember, nor the one you remember; don't try to deny it."

"He's trying." She countered, feeling defensive for Loki. "He's doing the best he can."

"I know that, but he's also a ticking time bomb and one of these days he  _will_ explode. Mark my words, Astrid. Loki will be the end us all."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, apparently demons spend their time playing video games....  
> I don't know what Bucky and Ragni are doing, blame them.


	40. Road to Knowhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On Loki's excursion to retrieve the demon blade, he finds something he never expected.  
> The Avengers prepare for battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, you'll notice a little bit of this is inspired by the Ragnarok trailer.  
> It's not the same, but you'll see what I mean. ;) 
> 
> Who else was excited to see they are keeping up Loki's bound in chains kink? Lmfao.  
> How in the fuck were those puny chains holding him?  
> I don't believe it. xD The only cell that could even hold him was Asgards, and the cuffs he had were all magical.
> 
> Maybe they were magical chains...

It had been a while since Loki had been here. Knowhere. Home, and museum, of The Collector. Loki didn't trust the man as far as he could throw him, but if one thing was for certain, The Collector cherished his prized possessions. He'd known long ago that the dagger would be safe here. That's why he'd left it. 

"Loki, what a pleasure it is to see you again." 

"Tivan. How are you fairing these days?"

Loki smiled politely, but it was far from how he was actually feeling. To be safe, he'd also cast a spell to shield his thoughts. The Collector was old, and a mind reader. The last thing Loki needed was Tivan hearing what he really thought about him. The man gave Loki the creeps, and that was hard to do. Maybe it was because he was reminded of bad times, since the man kept and imprisoned many subjects- unique beings. He had no doubt a lot of them were tortured. Carina, his servant-slave- was proof enough of that.

"Ah, I've been better." He scoffed, raising his hands dramatically. "What brings you here, Trickster?"

"The demon blade I loaned you, I need to borrow it."

Tivan narrowed his eyes. "Borrow you say?" He turned towards Carina and snarled, _get it_ , then turned back towards Loki with a smile. A smile that sent a shudder to run up and down his spine. "Why, of course. It is yours, is it not. So, demons? My, my. It has been a while since I have heard of one of those running about." The Collector paused, his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "You wouldn't be able to perhaps, bring one to me, could you?"

"I'm afraid I cannot." Then Loki had a thought. It made him smirk. "Though, perhaps on second thought, I may be able to contain at least  _one_ of them. I assure you, I will do my best." Fury would make a nice trophy for Tivan. He was betting Fury had sold his soul on his own accord so killing Eirik would not change him. Yes, Fury as one of The Collector's playthings was music to Loki's ears.

The man's grin grew wider. " _Excellent_."

Carina returned and held the blade out to Loki. He took it, and while he was inspecting it, he caught a glimpse of the sad look in the girl's eyes. He quickly shook it any sympathy he felt for her. Now was not the time. It was just as he remembered. Large, heavy, and full of power.

"Thank you. I shall return it to you as soon as I am able."

"Marvelous." Loki nodded, but as he turned to leave, Tivan continued, "Would you like to see my collection?"

_Dammit!_

Knowing he couldn't refuse he politely accepted.

"Why, of course."

 

The state that man had some of his subjects in made Loki want to scream- murder the man walking next to him. But he couldn't, so he resisted. It was hard. It also brought back old memories he'd rather forget. On the outside, he was smiling and seemed interested, but on the inside Loki was horrified. He took it all in, trying to ignore the pleas and screams for help from some of Tivan's  _subjects_. He wanted out of this place, and now. He didn't have time for this. As he went to say his goodbyes, they stopped in front of another cage. It was only a quick glance at first, but once it registered, once he realized who was in that cell, Loki couldn't take his eyes off of him. 

"Don't let that one fool you." Tivan explained, sneering. "He's dangerous. Unkillable. Believe me, I've tried." The Collector laughed wickedly. Loki had to swallow to hold down the vomit. "I decided to gift him to my brother." 

"The Grandmaster." Loki concluded. 

"Yes. He will do well in his arena." The man winked. Loki had to force himself to look away from the cage.

"Allow me to show you out. I'm sure you need to be on your way."

* * *

When he heard the footsteps coming towards his cell, he tensed. What did that creature- _humanoid_ \- want now? Hadn't he done enough to him? But when the man stopped in front of his cage, he couldn't believe his eyes, seeing someone he never imagined he would ever see again.

_Loki._

He could have sworn his heart stopped. His breathing had. He knew the God was just as surprised to see him as he was. His face was void of emotion, but the look in his eyes is what gave it away.

It gave Bruce a little bit of hope. Would he come back for him? Would he get him out of this hell he had been taken too? Then his stomach fell. Why would Loki help him? He had no reason to. The Other Guy beat him into the ground, and Bruce had never been exactly nice to Loki. Not really. He could leave him here to rot and no one would ever know.

Bruce wouldn't blame him. Would he save Loki if the tables were reversed? He didn't know. 

Shortly after the pair had left, he spotted a piece of paper lying next to his foot. A piece of paper that had not been there before. When he opened it, he could have cried. It was only five words, but it was five words Bruce would _never_ forget.  

  _ **I'LL COME BACK FOR YOU.**_

* * *

 "Alright, so we have a decent plan. We just need to wait for Reindeer Games to get back so we can figure out his plan for Ragni, and Eirik. Then combine the two."

The Avengers had been going over scenarios for hours, mostly fighting and arguing, but they had finally decided on something. If there was one thing they could all agree on, it was that Eirik was organized, so they had to make sure to be a step ahead. More organized. More prepared. They couldn't fail again. 

"He's been gone a while." Natasha thought out loud. "You think he went after Eirik alone?"

"Sure, he's angry, hurt, and probably insane on some level, but he isn't stupid. Even as pissed off and as powerful as he is, he wouldn't go alone."

"You know me too well, my dear Anthony." Loki was standing by the door again, startling everyone in the room.

"Jesus fucking Christ, you need a damn bell." Tony exclaimed, holding his heart. "Next time make some noise or something. Some of us in here are old and frail."

Loki laughed. "You aren't dead yet, friend." He paused, his smile was replaced with a grim face. 

Tony frowned. "Tell me you got the blade."

"I did." He replied and licked his lips. "I also found... Something else."

Loki stepped aside and everyone watched Bruce as he stepped forward and gave a small, sad smile. 

"Hey, guys."

"Bruce..." Natasha was in tears, but he didn't seem to join her in the excitement. 

"Natasha." The way he said her name was cold. Void of all emotion. Yeah, he was still pretty pissed off at her, she realized. 

"Brucey!!!" Tony shot up and hugged him and caused Bruce to stumble backwards. Since he wasn't present during the entire- 'Hey, let's gang up on Tony' ordeal, there was no resentment. He had missed his science friend.

"Hey, Tony." Bruce awkwardly patted his back.

"Where the hell have you been?" Clint asked, but he was clearly happy to see him. 

"That's a long story I'd rather not discuss right now. Loki tells me we have other problems." He gave a glance towards the God. "You helped me, so The Other Guy is going to help you." Loki nodded. 

"The gang is back together!" Tony was ecstatic. With Thor and Bruce-The Other Guy- they stood more of a chance at beating Eirik. Perhaps they could. Maybe things were looking up. Maybe they would save Ragni after all. 

 

They went over their plan the remainder of that day and into the next night. Only when they were sure they all know their parts, and had planned around anything and everything that could go wrong, they slept. They needed to be rested. Focused. Strong. They weren't waiting for Eirik- they were going straight to him. He may not want to be found, but Vision claimed he could still see and follow the Teather that bound Loki and Ragni. Thor had a lot of questions, as well as Tony, and Loki had not been in the mood to answer very many of them.

_'You bound yourself to that girl, why?' Thor had asked. 'What good does that do?'_

_'So, what does the bond do, exactly? Why did you do it? Do you feel her, can she feel you?' Tony had rambled on and on. Loki wanted to choke him._

_'I would prefer to refrain from talking about the bond I share with my lover, who is currently out to kill us all!'_

The questions stopped after that. 

 

"Are we ready?" Everyone nodded. "Alright, everyone knows their part. We also know what to do if things start to go south. We don't do anything until Loki's queue, does everyone understand?" More nods. "Loki." Tony turned towards the God. "You ready?"

"I am." Loki gripped the demon blade, getting used to the feel of it in his hand. He was ready. 

Tonight, Eirik would die. 

* * *

"Alright, my demons! It's time. Let's gear up!" Eirik shouted, and the sound of his demon army roaring in response filled the room. Fury was beside him smiling.

"You've outdone yourself. I think you might even pull this off." 

"Oh, I'll pull it off." Eirik smiled at the man. "Regardless of what happens tonight, my demons will be unleashed, released from their cages." He laughed wickedly. "It'll be beautiful. His plan is all coming together, I cannot fail."

"Aleister?" Eirik nodded. "You sound so sure of yourself. Why? The Avengers will come."

"Oh, I'm aware." Eirik smiled and clasped his hands together. "Can you keep a secret?" 

Fury grinned in response and wrapped an arm around Eirik's shoulders.

"I can." 

"Good. Because I've been just  _dying_ to tell someone." 


	41. Seeing Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle begins.  
> Not everything goes as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so sorry this took almost a month!  
> I was seriously stuck on this chapter...
> 
> I just hope I do it some justice. It's a pretty important chapter....  
> You'll see why.

"Ragni!"

Loki could see her, laying on the ground and from what he could tell, also unconscious. His spell must have worked. At least, it felt like it had worked- He could feel her again. He felt whole. Moments ago, he'd teleported between her and Eirik while he was caught off guard, placing a hand upon each of their chests and using his Seidr to take back what he'd stolen- pulling her soul through himself and back into her. The final effect had thrown all three of them back in separate directions and Loki felt like he'd been smashed by the Hulk again, but it was well worth it if he had his Ragni back. Disoriented, he barely heard Tony's cry to attack- The Avengers running at full speed each taking on their assigned assailants.

Eirik belonged to Loki.

 

They were in Central Park where Vision had located Eirik, Bucky, and Ragni; along with an army of demons. They'd all hidden, waiting until the moment Loki made his entrance and then they began their slaughter. They were more prepared this time- Loki had his nineteen-inch, slender curved and thick tipped demon blade, Natasha was packing explosive bullets with Steve and his shield backing her up, Clint had nothing but explosive arrows, Wanda was using magick with Vision there to aid her, and Thor and Hulk were their own weapon. Then, of course, there was Iron Man.

Better prepared and with a plan, Earth's Mightiest Hero's had a chance of winning.

 

 _"What did you do to me you son of a bitch?"_ Eirik roared, still laying on his back and clutching his chest. He let out a pained laugh. "Oh, you are going to pay for that one, half-breed!" 

 _Focus._  Loki thought. _You have to shake this off!_

Finally finding his bearings Loki stood glaring coldly at Eirik. His right fingertips just barely brushing against the hilt of the blade. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did that hurt? Good." 

Eirik let out a rawr and charged at Loki. 

 

It was evident the battle wasn't going to last long. The Avengers had the upper hand and it was clear to them that they were going to win this time, that they'd saved their city and their world once again. They were confident, happy, and smiling as they took out Eirik's army. 

They never saw it coming. 

 

He leaned over her and placed a hand on her shoulder to give her a good shake. "Ragni?" He'd managed to slip past The Avengers and get to her. To his left, Eirik and Loki were in a battle to the death and Bucky, for whatever reason, had an urge to check on the girl. "Ragni?"

"Wh-" She woke up coughing and winced. "Where am I?" 

 _Damn._ What was he supposed to do now? Kill her? Take her somewhere and wait for Eirik? Take her back to HYDRA? He'd been given no instructions on what to do in the case she wasn't a demon anymore.

 _Oh well._ "Get up." He snapped, grabbing her arm and yanking her forcefully to her feet. "We need to go."

"Wait!" She protested and punched him in the face. "Get off me! Loki! Where's Loki?" 

"Ragni-"

"No! You won't take me. He won't take it back!" She screamed and lunged towards the Winter Soldier. 

 

Eirik charged at Loki again, but he dodged the blow, turning and kicking him hard in the stomach and knocking him on his back. _This was it._ Loki pinned Eirik and pressed the blade against his throat watching his eyes widen. 

"So you know what this is?"

"Of course. One must always know their weakness." The demon smiled. "Are you going to kill me now? Hmm, because let me tell you- if you do, you will regret it."

"What will there be to regret? Once you are confined to Hel, you will not leave again since you failed them." Loki smirked and in one quick movement stabbed the blade into Eirik's chest. "Regret isn't in my nature." 

His eyes widen more and Eirik let out a strangled cry when the blade came into contact with his chest looking momentarily stunned, but it didn't last because the demon began laughing. Laughing madly; insanely. 

It made Loki feel extremely uneasy. And everyone thought  _he_ was crazy. Compared to his guy he was a cinnamon roll. 

"What's so entertaining?" Loki had to ask even against his better judgment. He wasn't sure he really wanted an answer.

Surely death wasn't _that_ funny. 

"The world _will_ end... Want to know why?" Loki shook his head as he dug the blade deeper into Eirik's chest finishing the job. To his annoyance, the monster still answered, choking on his own blood and turned his head away from Loki and smiled.

_"Because. I. Won."_

Just as Eirik was taking his last breath, Loki turned to see what he had been looking at, and just in time to watch the Winter Soldier catching a limp, collapsing Ragni. 

**_A few moments_ earlier** **-**

  
As soon as the blade sunk into Eirik's chest Bucky felt like he was being pulled- finding himself awake and alert in his own body with an angry girl attacking him.

 _Ragni._  

He remembered. 

She was in the process of punching him but had stopped dead in her tracks, mid-punch, as soon as Bucky was pulled back into his body. How had she known? It was when he noticed her eyes going wide, full of panic and fear that he looked down. Blood was seeping through her shirt; as if she'd been impaled through the chest. This is when he also heard a cry which caused him to glance over and see that Loki had shoved a dagger into _Eirik's_  chest.

_His chest...._

"WAIT!" Bucky shouted, but Loki didn't hear him and sunk the dagger deeper into the demon. The killing blow.

The last words that tumbled from her lips as she fell was a name.   
  
_Loki._

 

Loki had started to run to her, but was suddenly  _painfully_ and _violently,_ dropped to his knees when he felt it. It was ripped from his chest- what, he didn't know- but it left him feeling hollow. _Empty._  Taking a deep breath he clutched his chest. He felt so numb...  _So_   _Empty._

_No._

"No." Loki croaked as he crawled closer, unaware he was even moving. How was he moving? 

_No. No. No._

He pushed the Soldier aside and lifted her up. 

_No. No. NO..._

Her chest was bleeding. With one trembling hand, Loki pressed against her wound and began pouring healing magic into her, the other cupped around the back of her head as she laid in his lap. He could fix this. She would be fine.

She laid in his lap, unresponsive. It wasn't working... Why wasn't it working?

He felt his heart shatter. 

"Ragni... Baby, you need to wake up now, okay?" He begged- over and over again he begged- but she never opened her eyes. Loki knew he should check for a pulse, but he couldn't... 

_Empty._

"He linked them..." Loki barely heard Bucky speak. His mind was racing a hundred miles an hour. He felt dizzy and nauseous. Maybe if he just threw up...

"Eirik linked his life to hers-"

"Stop," Loki whispered, but loud enough Bucky still heard him. He could barely swallow down the vomit that was threatening to come up. He couldn't stop his body from shaking; he didn't even know when it started, but now he couldn't stop.

He didn't want to hear anymore, he couldn't bear the thought of it... He didn't... He couldn't have...

"She's sleeping." 

_Yes. That's it. She's just sleeping._

"Loki-"

"She's just sleeping." He repeats, almost robotic and finding it harder and harder to breathe as the seconds ticked by. It felt like a boulder was lying on his chest and cutting off his air supply.

He just wanted it to stop.   _It hurts._   _Everything hurts._

It was hard to tell how long Loki sat there rocking her back and forth and willing her to wake up. If there was a war going on around him he didn't notice. He was locked in a daze, almost comatose, and oblivious to his surroundings. The only thing he could focus on, all that he could feel was the pain. A hollow, numb, aching pain that made him want to scream. But he couldn't bring himself to scream. He was still sure she would wake up. Or he would- It was a dream.

It had to be a dream. 

He looked down at her and noticed how pale her face was. She was so cold.

"I should warm her up, she's cold." He said without thinking and hardly registering the fact Bucky was kneeling beside him.

"Loki, I'm so sorry but she's gone." Loki didn't hear him. "Loki? Did you hear me?" Bucky's voice kept fading in and out. "She's dead-"

_No. It's all a dream. A horrible nightmare. I'm going to wake up._

_I'm going to wake up..._

 

"Vision." 

Tony took slow steps towards the others. He could already see what they were looking at from where he was, but his mind wouldn't allow himself to believe it.

Not until it was confirmed. 

"The teether is gone." He spoke slowly and carefully, sounding almost as hollow as he was sure Loki was feeling. "It's just... Gone. She's gone."

 _No._ "She's not dead." He denied. "She can't be dead!" He reasoned.  _No. No. No._ "Loki won't be able to handle it if she's dead..." Tony trailed off into a whisper. 

Fury, who was tied up at Thor's feet began laughing. "You have to admit, linking their lives was smart-" He was cut off by a large fist in his face and a mouth full of his own blood.

"Shut up," Thor stated blankly, never removing his gaze from Loki- His brother that was currently holding and rocking his dead lover... "Just... Shut up."

Time stood still for several more moments. 

 

"I didn't get to say goodbye." Loki heard himself speak, unable to look away from her. 

Everything was so calm. Loki could hear the faints sounds of cars driving down the road in the distance. The world was still spinning, but how could it be when she was gone? It should stop. For her it should stop.

"What if she doesn't know how much I love her?" He left her. The last time they were together he'd left her. What if she thought... 

"She knows," Bucky said softly, interrupting his thoughts for a moment. Loki stared blankly at the Soldier. "You're who she spoke of, before... Before-" He stopped when Loki choked out a broken sob. 

"She can't be dead. She can't... I... I can't... Do this without... Her." Looking back at Ragni he begged her, "Please, my love. Wake up. P.. Please wake up!" 

He finally found the courage to check for a pulse. Then a heartbeat. He found neither. 

 

They watched as the God of Lies finally broke- screaming an agonizing, grief-stricken scream so heart-wrenching Tony's legs almost gave out just from the sound of it.

Tony knew it then- He knew Loki knew she was gone and his heart was broken. _Shattered._

His own heart broke, for Loki. For his friend.

Ragni was gone...

No one could move, not even Thor, no matter how much he willed his legs to walk they wouldn't budge. In the background, they could hear the faint sounds of the Bifrost, but no one turned to look and see who it was. None of them were able to pry their eyes away from the screaming, sobbing God only a few feet away. 

They'd won the battle, but it was clear they'd lost the war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .....Please don't hate me too much.  
>  This was my plan since I began this fic- there is a plan.  
> I can't say anything because- spoilers- but just... stay with me...  
> 


	42. Grave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki struggles with his grief.

It felt as if he was suffocating, even as he screamed her name and begged her not to leave him, he couldn't catch his breath. Every inhale of air was a struggle for Loki as he became more and more to aware of the fact that Ragni was gone. She was really gone. He'd been prepared for anything, they'd been prepared for everything, but nothing could have prepared him for this. For what Eirik had done- linking their lives, knowing Loki would be the one to eliminate him and in turn the woman he loved. He'd killed her. Not directly, but her blood was on his hands and deep down he knew it. "I'm so sorry." It was unlikely she could hear him, wherever she was now, and he knew it, but he had to say it. If there was a chance- She had to know. "Ragni, I'm so, so sorry..." he repeated, holding her close against his chest. "I loved you... I love you." He cried harder in hopes to ease the pain that was stabbing his heart, but the harder he cried the more it hurt. He'd been through pain; unimaginable pain, he'd experienced loss- his mother's being the worse- but this, this was so much more than anything he'd ever felt. The pain, it was all-consuming, blinding. 

"Loki." 

He raised his head and looked at his brother through blurry eyes, his voice was the only thing that gave away who was sitting beside him, letting out another broken sob as he felt large arms wrap around him. 

"Brother..." 

"L-Leave me, Thor." Loki snapped and pulled away. "Just, leave me!"

"No. Not now, Loki." Thor told him sternly, but softly. 

His body was trembling so hard his sides were beginning to ache. "Please..."

"Can Anthony sit with you, if not I?" 

His head was spinning. He felt sick. "I- I don't want..." Loki abruptly, but gently released Ragni and stood, managing to get about ten steps in before he fell back to his knees. retching violently. He needed to get it out. If he could just get. It. Out.  

He didn't want to feel this anymore. 

It was too much. 

How did people do this and survive it? 

Then it hit him- the bond- the bond was making it worse, leaving him incomplete and empty. 

So, so empty. 

Loki had been so out of it he didn't hear the Bifrost so he had no idea Astrid was there. Thor had stopped her from getting any closer to him while he'd stumbled off to vomit, so when he finally emptied his stomach having nothing else to let out he stood, still stumbling, and turned to find Astrid next to Thor. It took him a minute to realize she was screaming and shaking Ragni. As if she'd wake up.

" _Don't._ " It came out as a whisper and he inched closer, panicking because Astrid shouldn't be touching her. "Stop." Ragni was dead. It was too late. "I said stop, don't touch her!" Astrid froze and looked at him, tears rolling down both her cheeks. 

"Loki-"

" _Don't touch_ _the body_!" As soon as the word left his lips Loki clutched his hand over his mouth, eyes wide, reality hitting him in the face. Astrid stood and ran to him, clutching him in a death hold, but it couldn't pull him out of his hazed-state. 

_Body._

Not Ragni. It was now just a body; an empty vessel. 

He didn't remember falling to his knees again, he couldn't register Astrid or what she was saying, he just wanted the pain to stop.

 

"It hurts." Loki choked, looking at her blankly- as if he wasn't all the way there.

He wasn't, how could he be?

"I know, Loki. I know." Astrid sobbed, holding him close and ignoring the stares they were getting from.... Whoever the hell these people were. "I can't imagine what you are feeling."

But she could, at least somewhat from speaking with Idunn. Looking at him, Loki was pale and barely responding to her. She was losing him to his own mind. Why couldn't she have just gotten here sooner? One thing was for certain, she could not let Loki know why she was really here- that she had an apple for Ragni. No, that wouldn't help, if not make things worse. At this point, she doubted he would ask such a question right now- why she was here- he was too out of it. 

"Loki, listen to me. You can get through this, I'll help you." 

"Make it stop." Make what stop? "The pain." He continued with pleading eyes. "The bond, it's... Make it stop."

"I can't." She spoke regretfully, wanting nothing more than to do as he asked, but it was impossible. She couldn't fix this. Not how he wanted. "But I will help you get through the pain." She told him and he nodded, licking his lips. 

"No matter." He spoke so softly, she didn't hear him. "I'll do it." 

"Astrid." Thor spoke from behind her and she gave him a glance over her shoulder. "May I speak with you for a moment."

"Sure." She turned back to Loki. "I'll be just right there, I just have to talk to Thor for a second and I'll be right back, okay?" 

Loki nodded and she slowly stood up and approached Thor. 

 

Everything was a blur. It didn't feel real, yet, it felt too real. Tony was beside him now, talking, but Loki could register what he was saying. Every second hurt worse than the last. Every moment. Loki knew it was only going to get worse, not better. There was no dulling this ache, no adapting. Only suffering- Grief. Guilt. And most of all, rage. He was angry and growing angrier, so when the familiar sounds of Fury echoed in the air Loki only saw red. He locked eyes with the demon and it smiled at him- It knew, it knew what he had done. It took literally no effort for Loki to summon the demon blade submerging it into Fury's chest without blinking. The smug smile of the demon was replaced with a look of horror before the life left its eyes. The act started the Avengers and all eyes were on Loki for a moment before Tony mouthed,  _I'll handle it._  

 

"Uh, buddy. You okay? I mean, I know you aren't okay, but uh, you going to be okay?" He disliked Fury, hated him even, but the act was so sudden it worried him. It wasn't that he didn't expect Loki to kill him, but it was how he'd done it, the way he reacted- or more didn't. Tony knew Loki was barely hanging on. The guilt he must feel Tony couldn't fathom. _It wasn't your fault_ , he wanted to tell him, but he was afraid of setting Loki off. He didn't know what to say. What could he say?

Loki gave a slight nod. "I need to go for a walk." 

"Alright, buddy. I'll come with you."

"No." He shook his head. "I need to be alone."

"I don't think that's a good idea." 

"Please, Anthony. I need a moment to myself."

It wasn't like Loki to ask for permission, it was so out of character for him Tony found himself agreeing, but reluctantly- He really didn't think Loki should be alone, but he also couldn't imagine what he was feeling much less what he was going through right now. He'd lost his parents, but if he was being honest with himself he hated them, so he didn't grieve the way most people would have. Tony loved Ragni, but not the way Loki had. He was sad, but not the way Loki was. To lose the person you loved the most, your other half, well, Tony had avoided any real relationships for that very reason. Losing friends was hard enough. It was too risky- Love. Because when it ended, if it was taken from you, it had the potential to break you; destroy you. Tony could see it, he could see it destroying Loki. "Alright. Don't go far, okay? You don't need to be alone too long."

 

"He's not here! How could you let him go off alone!" Astrid snarled toward the guy in the red suit, pacing back and forth and wanting to pull her hair out. 

"Loki said he needed a moment alone, so I let him have it. I didn't know he'd disappear. But if I'm being honest, it's what I'd do."

"Yes, Stark, that may be so," Vision began. "But you didn't hear what he told me, in the case that she should perish. He told me he would end it all. What do you think that entails Miss?" 

Astrid wanted to scream. "Nothing good."

"Are you saying Loki is going to take his own life?" Clint mumbled. Wanda had her arms around him and was trying to console him. He was taking Ragni's death really hard, most of the Avengers were still in shock.

"No." 

"Then what?" 

"Surely you aren't implying Loki would bring upon Ragnarok over this?" Thor spoke up looking at Astrid skeptically. 

Deciding they needed to know, Astrid decided to share the information she had learned from Idunn about the bond. Then she had to find Loki before it was too late. She didn't know what he was up too but she had enough sense and knowledge about her friend to know it was nothing good.

 

As Loki walked away, he knew what he needed to do. But first, he had to make a trip to Asgard. He made sure he was out of eyesight before teleporting to one of the many hidden passageways into the place he used to consider his home. 

It was just as easy to sneak in and out of the Palace grounds as it had always been. Being able to shield himself from Heimdall had its advantages too, of course. It didn't take long to get there- the weapons vault, and even though it was heavily guarded it still couldn't keep the dark prince out. It never could, and it infuriated the Allfather because he couldn't figure out how Loki was doing it, and he would do it just to spite him. But never once did he enter the hidden room attached to the vault, the room Frigga had warned him to stay clear of. 

_"The darkest and most powerful of spellbooks lies within that room. Promise me you shall never enter it, Loki. Promise me."_

_"I promise."_

Until today, he had never entered. As the door swung open and he stepped inside he heard a voice. The voice of his not-father. "Loki." There was no anger in his tone, no malice, and as Loki turned to face Odin he found him looking at him strangely. A look he hadn't seen from the old man in a very long time. The confusion must have been written on Loki's face, the Allfather continued. "Come, son. Let us talk?"

Son? Talk? Was the old man off his rocker? "Aren't you going to throw me into the dungeons for breaking one of your precious rules?" Loki snarled and walked farther into the room, using his Seidr to remove all the books from their shelves and onto the table in the middle of the room. "Or for touching these?" He mocked, motioning towards the books beside him. 

"No, Loki." This answer surprised him. "I know what's happened, what you've lost and it isn't your fault. You are not to blame, no matter what you may think." 

There was a momentary silence. 

"What's your point?" Loki spat, suddenly even angrier. Odin feeling pity for him, how dare he! "I don't want your pity!"

"It's not pity, my son-"

"Stop." Loki snarled, pointing a finger at Odin. "Stop calling me that! I am not your son, nor was I ever your son, nor will I ever be your son!" Loki held out his hand over the books, siphoning the energy and knowledge from them and into his own consciousness, gaining their power. He was going to need it if he was going to pull this off. A look of orgasmic bliss crossed his face as it poured through him and he staggered backward slightly. _Oh, my..._

"Loki, you needn't do this." 

"But I do. All the emotion, all the pain, it's too much. I have to make it stop." Because why would any person be willing to go through this? Live with this? No. He had to stop it. "End their suffering."

"You mean your suffering." Odin corrected, gripping Gungnir until his knuckles were white. "I cannot let you do this. This is not the way."

"It's the only way." Loki began closing the distance between him and Odin. "I must end it." 

"The pain will cease. It may not seem like it now, but it will-"

"Were you bound to Mother? Hmm? Did you feel it when she died, her life draining away? No, you didn't, did you?" Loki spat and stopping only feet from Odin. "You still have that part of you, that part I no longer have!" He clutched his chest. "It's gone, tell me Allfather, how does that pain cease? It won't, I am no fool. Mother's death was painful, but this... This pain I feel, _this rage_ , I cannot contain it! I wish it on no other and I will abolish it- all of it. Everything!" 

"You will take your rage out on all of the Nine Realms? Be that selfish-"

"Giving." Loki corrected. "I am doing them, you, a favor."

"You are blind with rage and grief, you cannot truly think that."

"But I do." He said simply. 

"I cannot let you, you know that. I will have to do what is necessary to stop you."

Loki laughed darkly, "As if you cared for my life before. You can try and stop me, Allfather, but you will fail."

Odin pointed Gungnir towards Loki but was just as suddenly thrown back into the hall of the main vault, finding himself pinned and completely immobile, his weapon landing feet away. As usual, Loki had been underestimated and he grinned widely at the wide-eyed King of Asgard as he approached him. 

"Fear not, for you will live long enough to watch Asgard burn." Loki knelt down looking Odin in the eye. "But you will be powerless to stop it." The Allfather screamed in agony as Loki slammed a hand down onto his chest and sucked the magical energy from his body.


	43. Dead Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony takes care of business and discovers shocking news while Thor and Astrid take on Loki in an attempt to stop him from ending the world, and a surprise visitor shows up to help Loki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, an update!!  
> I know right, it's about damn time and right now, I really need the distraction.  
> I'd rather not think too much.
> 
> I also think this chapter is fairly long - that's progress.

Thor and Astrid went in search of Loki while Natasha, Clint, Wanda, Steve, and Bucky retreated back to Stark Tower. Tony, Vision, and Bruce, the three Avengers who were not wanted criminals, volunteered to stay and deal with the authorities. They didn't usually stick around for this, but the battle against Eirik and his demons left Central Park littered with bodies, and without SHIELD, someone had to stay behind and explain why. 

Another reason they remained behind- if not the most important reason- was to take care of Ragni's body. She was to be taken care of first by the coroner, above all others. Tony would make sure of that. Sitting next to Ragni, Tony was grateful Vision and Bruce stayed off to the side and gave him a moment to grieve, alone. 

The aching pressure in Tony's chest was a constant reminder of how incredibly guilty he felt, unable to recall ever feeling this bad, and doing his best not to think about Loki or the fact that he was out there all alone while he slowly lost his mind with grief in the process. _God_ , how could he be so fucking stupid? Unable to hold it in for a moment longer, Tony allowed himself to break down. He rocked back and forth, still wearing his helmet to hide the tears that he knew were coming, and started to sob. He grieved for both Ragni, the friend he'd already lost and Loki, the friend he was currently losing.

His sobs were just beginning to die down when F.R.I.D.A.Y. spoke up, “Sir, agent Barton is on the line. Would you like me to connect the call?” He started to say no, momentarily embarrassed for crying, then decided against it.

"Yeah," Tony croaked, no longer caring that Barton would see his red-rimmed eyes once the call connected. He was, at least Tony assumed, currently dealing with his own grief. Mourning not only the loss of a friend but a woman he once loved- a woman he probably still held love for.

A moment later, Barton appeared on the screen. Judging by his long face, his lament was obvious. Wiping the tears from his own red-rimmed eyes, he drew a shuddered breath. "Hey, Tony," he said quietly, voice wavering as he spoke.

Tony cleared his throat and gave him a small smile, “Hey there, Legolas. What's up?"

"I called to let you know that Natasha managed to get in contact with Maria Hill and she's sending a team via Quinjet."

SHIELD coming to the rescue after being all but eliminated- Tony had a theory that SHIELD evolved from cockroaches; you couldn't kill them no matter how hard you tried -should have surprised him; it didn't. Not even a little bit.

"Natasha briefed Hill and her team about what went down earlier and while they shouldn't have any questions, expect them. They will, without a shadow of a doubt, ask about Nick. SHIELD- what's left of them anyway -is having a difficult time coming to terms with the fact that he willingly joined forces with HYDRA-demons and left us with no other choice than to eliminate him." At that, Tony furrowed a brow. "We decided to omit the part where Loki murdered Fury in cold blood. So instead, we told Hill that he was killed during the battle. You never know how SHIELD is going to react. While there's a chance they will say nothing since Fury was technically a HYDRA-demon or whatever, there is also a good chance that they will do something. Claim that since he was in our custody they could have brought him in and 'cured' him. But we also would have had to have known SHIELD was still around. Still, I figure better safe than sorry."

"Good idea." The last thing they needed to do was give SHIELD a reason to go after Loki. Especially now. Now really wasn't the best time for that. 

Tony had just finished explaining- the Fury, Loki story change -situation to Bruce and Vision when SHIELD arrived. There were at least twelve agents that Tony could see, none that he recognized, scattered all over the park like roaches. He refused to stray too far from Ragni's body- there was no telling what SHIELD would do with it -and veered away any agents who stepped too close. He figured the coroner would have been here by now, assuming they didn't need a reasonable time frame to work with since what they were picking up wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Still, the thought pissed him off. He decided if they hadn't shown up within the next twenty minutes he would take her himself.

Five minutes later, Tony saw a ghost.

"You're dead," he stuttered, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes (he'd finally managed to remove his helmet) blinking several times before he decided that either A. he was dreaming or B. he had somehow died and not realized it. 

"Am I?" The man known as Phil Coulson replied and quirked an eyebrow in Tony's direction.  

"You were dead. They said you were dead." Tony stopped himself before he blurted,  _Loki killed you!_  

"Huh, guess it didn't take," he shrugged indifferently and then smiled. "It's nice to see you, Tony."

 _Well shit!_ Tony mused to himself. Coulson really was here. Standing in front of him. Alive and, well... Alive.  _Thank God._ He thought he was going crazy there for a minute and he really didn't want to see another shrink.

"Yeah, you too, dude. Wow. I can't believe you're really here. Wait, why didn't I know that you were alive before now? Does anyone else know? Clint? Natasha? Steve?" 

"Not yet, but I plan on revealing myself to them very soon. I've been kinda sorta undercover for the past two and a half years. Knowing I'm alive is... Well, it's a need to know basis," he explained.

"Sounds, uh, cool." 

"Mhm," Coulson hummed and pulled out his cell phone, but Tony knew better - that it wasn't any ordinary cell phone. Not when it came to Phil Coulson and SHIELD. "Now, tell me," he spoke, gravely, "Exactly, what happened here?"

 

Who knew that New York's Central Park had its very own satanic temple? It was no wonder Eirik and his demons gathered there. Loki knew the place would still be crawling with mortals and decided to continue his plans the following night. When the time came the park was exactly as needed; empty.

He didn't even notice that he stopped to stare at the ground until he realized the spot he was subconsciously looking at. Ignoring the stabbing pain in his chest he continued through the park until he reached the center, the satanic temple lying below. He had every intention of bringing the temple to the surface, where he planned to use the earth's energy to trigger Ragnarok, beginning with Midgard. Once he was finished, he would travel back to Asgard and fulfill the promise he'd made to Odin. 

Closing his eyes, he held out both hands and focused his energy, and within moments the ground beneath him started to shake as the temple rose to the earth's surface. The main spire of the temple bore the effigy of the demon herself, Lexiyah; the demon of destruction and death. Once above ground, Loki relaxed and then focused once more. The air crackled around him as he poured the earth's energy into the temple that would eventually trigger a catastrophic event. He truly believed it was better this way, for all of them. There would be no more pain, no more suffering, only peace. 

"Loki, stop!" A familiar voice came from behind him and Loki rolled his eyes. 

_Dammit, Thor. Not now!_

"Loki, no!" Another voice, one he recognized to be Astrid.

_Dammit to hell!_

He really didn't have time to end the world _and_  deal with them. Why couldn't Thor and Astrid just leave him alone? - leave him be, and just let him do what needed to be done.

 

Loki ignored his pleas, leaving Thor with no choice but to use Mjolnir, and chucked the hammer at his brother. He, of course, made sure the hit wasn't fatal or really even enough to hurt him, he simply knocked Loki off balance just enough for him to lose his focus. When he regained his footing, Loki glared daggers at Thor before sending a blast of energy in his direction, hitting him, and knocking him back several feet where he landed not so gracefully on his ass.

"Dammit, Loki! That actually hurt!" Thor hissed through gritted teeth, slowly working his way back on his feet. "Loki, you need to stop this madness!"

"Do I? _Do I!_ " He yelled, hitting Thor with another blast of powerful (and very painful) magic, knocking him back to the ground.

"Stop, Loki! You're hurting him," Astrid screamed and stepped between them. "Please, you need to stop. This isn't the way!" 

"How would you know!" Loki roared and then hit her with the same blast he hit Thor with. 

" _Shit!_ Fuck, that smarts!" She cried, staring at Loki with pleading eyes. "Please, _please,_ Loki. Just stop."

"I can't, don't you see? _It's better this way."_  

 

_"Please, you must send me back now! I'm the only one who can stop this!" She shouted. "You must send me back!"_

_"It can be done, but understand, that if you choose to leave you can never return, your fate will lie elsewhere." A large, dark-skinned man with yellow eyes explained._

_"I understand,” she nodded._

_"Knowing this, have you reached a decision?"_

_"I have." Frigga stood and approached the guardian. "I choose to go back. My son, my Loki needs me, as does the fate of the nine realms._

_"Then by the order of the guardians, Frigga Odinson, you are hereby exiled from Valhalla."  
_

 

Thor and Astrid were on the ground and barely conscious. He couldn't remember Loki's magic blasts ever hitting this hard, but considering his new found power, courtesy of Odin and the hidden vault filled with dangerous books of magic (Yes, he knew about that, having arrived on Asgard an hour too late) Loki's magic was _a lot_ more powerful, but also a lot more unpredictable.

It also occurred to him that Loki may have never actually _tried_ to hurt him before using magic. At least, not until now. But what made the situation worse was that he was hurting Astrid too; his best friend, without a single regard for her welfare. Little by little Loki's humanity slipped away. If they kept this up Thor was sure the magic would kill both Astrid and himself. It would take a while, but Loki would inevitably kill them if he continued down this road.

"Loki..." Thor tried again, unable to form the words he wanted. "...Stop."

"I will, brother," Loki told him. "But only if you stop trying to stop me."

"You know that I cannot do that."

"Then I cannot stop. Not until you're dead." Hitting Thor with another blast Loki rendered him unconscious.

"Loki, think about what you're doing!" Astrid attempted to reason. "You can't kill your brother and you can't end the world!" She met his eyes and her bottom lip quivered. _"You can't kill me."_

"I can," he said simply. "And I will, whether it be now or during Ragnarok, you will perish. Now choose." Loki demanded. "You die now or later, which is it?"

"I won't let you do this," she choked, shaking her head. "I won't."

"Then you die now," he declared. "But because you are my friend, I'll make sure you don't feel a thing."

Snapping his fingers, he placed Astrid in a deep sleep and readied himself creating a larger, more powerful, ball of energy that he planned to use to finish them off. Then suddenly, he heard another familiar voice calling out to him. It didn't take long for him to realize that the voice he was hearing was a voice he shouldn't have been able to hear. Because the voice was coming from someone who was dead.

Frigga was dead.

_"Loki."_

But she wasn't dead. She was here, now, standing in front of him. Was he seriously hallucinating now? He had to be.

"Loki, my son." Frigga gave a small smile. "I need you to come back to me."

"Come back, what do you mean?" He asked skeptically.

"Your humanity slips away, I sense it. You must fight to get it back."

"I don't want it back," he growled. "It makes the pain easier to handle if I seal it away."

"Loki-"

"You aren't real, you can't be! Frigga... my mother is dead."

"I was dead and now I am not, but I'm real Loki. I'm right here."

"But how?" 

"That isn't important right now," she told him. "What's important is that you stop this. Do you truly wish to destroy a world that your mother resides on? Would it be so easy for you to kill me?"

"What, no!"Loki stressed. "I would never harm you, you know that!"

"Yes, I do know that," Frigga said softly and took a few steps toward her youngest son. 

"...You're really here?" He asked so softly, so pitifully, it broke Frigga's heart. He still wasn't sure if she was truly here. 

"Yes, Loki.  _I'm really here."_

Releasing the magical energy, Loki let it fall into nothing and stood as still as a statue (probably with his mouth gaped open) as Frigga approached him.

This couldn't be real; it had to be a dream.

...His mother was dead.

_"Mother?"_

The word comes out broken as it finally hits him, losing what little composure he had left. Sobbing, Loki falls to his knees and Frigga knelt down beside him, taking him into her arms much like she did when he was a small child and embraced him. And he lets her. He lets her hold him as if he were a child, enjoying the comfort and presence of his mother; something that he'd missed very much. 

"Everything is so screwed up," Loki choked. "I lost... I lost her and I don't know what to do."

"Don't worry my sweet boy, mother's here now," she assured him, running her fingers through his hair. "You mustn't go through with what you're trying to do, Loki. I know that you're hurting and I know you long for death. I know exactly what you've lost and for that I'm sorry, but please, Ragni wouldn't want you to do this."

"You knew Ragni?"

"I knew of her. I watched you Loki and that girl loved you, I could see that clearly. She wouldn't want this and deep down you know it too. If not for me, do it for her - promise me you won't do this, that you'll stop and come back to me. If you let me I can help you."

After several minutes of silence, Loki reluctantly agreed, "Alright."

"You can try but I swear mother if I cannot find something to numb the pain - stop this constant ache in my chest - and soon, I won't last much longer and it won't matter how badly I want to live because the grief _will_ kill me. I can already feel it."

 

"How long is he going to be gone?" 

If Tony wasn't depressed before he sure as hell was depressed now.

They'd found Loki, but his mother had returned from the grave (holy shit, what's with all the dead rising?!) deciding that it was best she take Loki away for a couple of months while she helped him manage (and hopefully) remedy his grief. Now he stood in the living room with a girl he didn't know but didn't care because his only concern was for Loki.

"Couple of months," Astrid shrugged. "Three at the most. Frigga thinks a change of scenery might help instead of staying here where everything reminds him of her. I'm sure it's hard either way." 

"I'm sure it is," he nodded. "Wait, Ragni's funeral is the day after tomorrow. Loki's going to miss it?"

She nodded sadly. "Yeah. When he gets back we can show him her gravesite. Loki's having a hard time focusing on anything other than _not_ losing his mind and/or humanity right now."

"I can't even imagine what he's going through." Tony sighed and sat down on the couch. 

"You couldn't, it's so much worse because of the bond," she mumbled and joined Stark on the couch. "We have to do something. He can't just stay this way. I have a lot of faith in Frigga, but even I don't think she can work around this kind of magic."

That was discouraging if the Allmother couldn't even save the day.

"So what do we do?" Tony asked.

"The only thing that we can do." Astrid took a deep breath and stared Tony Stark directly in the eyes. "We're going to bring Ragni back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back.  
>   
> 
> 
> Also, I wanted to point out that the guardians are not like Heimdall (they're just something I made up, along with the demon.) 


End file.
